Home Truths
by JamesMFan
Summary: COMPLETE! Buffy has found out Spike is back. She goes to L.A. They meet again. Buffy is kidnapped. Spike turns into a demon (more so then usual) and hijinks ensue.
1. Reunion

H**o**me Tr**u**ths

__

Los Angeles, California

As Buffy reached the entrance of Wolfram and Hart she had to admit the place looked pretty damn impressive. It took up a large portion of L.A skyline and it had to go at least one hundred stories up, if not a lot more. The outside was covered mainly in glass but was tinted black and you could not see into it. Buffy stood by the entrance sign that stated the company name boldly and proudly. The Slayer was anything but proud as she stood in front of the large, modern, slick building. She thought that disgusted might not have been too strong a word – no, it was a perfect word.

She looked up at the bright Los Angeles sunshine shining down on this little cornerstone of evil. It was enough to make her skin crawl...and she hadn't even stepped foot inside the door yet.

Buffy took one last look at it from outside before she walked briskly up the steps passing men and women all dressed in a businesslike manner and pulled open one of the heavy doors stepping inside and, reluctantly, letting it shut behind her. The Slayer walked in a couple of steps as she took in the large white interior; the place looked a lot bigger inside than it even had outside. There were sharp lines everywhere, black marble flooring, white paint everywhere, and cold metal staircases. It was all very now, very hip, very minimalist. It was the kind of place every business aspired to look like, yet to Buffy it was all too cold, too clean, as if a lot of polishing up had been done to get rid of the stains. With a place like Wolfram and Hart, all she had heard about it, she was betting there were a lot of stains.

The Slayer felt the hairs stand up on the back of her neck just by standing in this huge complex. It was a law firm but there was a lot more to it then that, there were _things_ here that weren't only evil and unnatural they were so powerful that everything told her to prepare for an attack. Her fists balled at her sides and it took everything she had not to get paranoid and lash out at the people all bustling about – all looked so normal, so human...or at least as normal and human as lawyers could ever look. In their sharp suits and slicked hair they were just _too_ normal.

She took a few more slow steps into the _huge_ place and she heard talking, phones ringing, a few laughs, coughing, and shouting...all very normal sounds for a place of work. It was a good facade, if Buffy had not had her supernatural senses she would have sworn it was just a normal, if very expensive, law firm.

She made her way to the elevators and stepped inside standing at the front of a huge crowd of men and woman all dressed in power suits. She felt way too casual in her tight blue jeans; brown boots, white shirt and beige fitted jacket. As soon as they reached the second floor Buffy stepped out of the elevator and everything was different. The interior was much the same except it was wooden flooring, pastel colored walls but it was the people that were different. The lawyers were still bustling in and out of offices but then so were the demons. Demons of all shapes and sizes wandering around, arguing with their lawyers and eating jelly donuts provided by the firm to keep their clients happy, either jelly donuts or little babies, whatever they wanted. Buffy felt herself tense; she had often bent the rules of being a Slayer and become friends with reformed demons but she knew that these demons were not reformed, not most of them. They wanted lawyers because they had committed crimes, evil crimes that no one was ever to know about. Some of the demons looked more human and they could get tried at a human court but ninety eight percent of the time Wolfram and Hart would make sure the verdict was not guilty – if the price was right. Buffy saw these demons that appeared to be humans but she could easily pick out which were and which weren't the real deal.

Buffy saw a receptionist talking hastily on the phone; nodding, scribbling things down and then the moment she was finished with one call another call would come along. The Slayer turned and walked back to the elevator calling it up as she shook her head in reproach. Places like this were what made her job just _that_ much harder, which was a thing a Slayer really did not need. She stepped back in the elevator filled with new yet somehow almost identical looking people and rode it all the way up.

She had only wanted to get a feel for the place, the real place before she went where she actually needed to go.

There were many hidden rooms, alternate dimensions, and secrets in Wolfram and Hart and Buffy felt no desire to see what went on in this place like this. What was worse here then the open dealing with demons? The torture rooms, the prisoner cells, the place where useful body parts were held, where evil beings lurked and plotted. She had no desire to see these things, no she did not need to see them to want to destroy the place and salt the earth it left behind. It would be very little use though, to do such a thing, there were hundreds of branches of Wolfram and Hart all over the world, some secret some public but all evil. Besides, places like these were always built with magick detectors and wards; protection spells would be wrapped around the place like layers of several dirty blankets.

Gradually as she rode the elevator farther and farther up the numbers of lawyers dwindled until there was only her and four men left in it. She stood in front and felt the men behind her; they were human but they were, in a way, worse then the demons because they had souls and they did the demon's dirty work for _money._ It made her want to turn around and punch them just for that, just for the knowledge that they made evil's existence just _that_ much easier. Buffy even felt her fist clench, ready for a fight but then the elevator made a small 'ding' sound and the doors slid open.

The Slayer stepped out and the men stepped out and fanned around her then moved off to their separate ways. There were fewer offices up here but they were bigger, roomier and classier then the ones on lower levels. These were for the big boys. This is where she had been heading for. The floors here were polished and wooden, the walls painted a dark peach and the doors to the offices were all closed, frosted glass gave some vision into them but not much.

Buffy walked slowly down the corridor, which only had a few people walking up and down it, and she made it to the office at the end of the corridor, its door was closed too. She stopped in front of it. Buffy took a breath – what to do? What to do? Should she make an entrance or knock politely on the door?

Since she was never one to follow protocol but didn't like to be overtly rude she settled on a mixture of the two. She knocked on the door and then pushed it open and stepped in. The room was empty and she let out the pent up breath, so much for her grand entrance. Buffy turned and shut the door behind her then she walked over to the desk against the back wall of the large office, which had a beautiful art deco mural on it. The walls were dark, the carpet cream and there were two black leather couch's over to one side and a coffee machine, a coffee table in front of the couch's. It was all very rich and attractive; it was also furnished and decorated expensively. She noticed the window blinds were pulled away exposing the bright sunlight to the room almost blinding and she quirked her eyebrow at that.

Buffy looked at the desk and it's piles of papers, phone line, computer and other bits and bobs and she sighed, shook her head and walked over to the large windows which took up most of the side wall. She folded her arms and stood with her back to the door as she looked out of the window at the view of Los Angeles that was so beautiful it was undeniable. Buffy had lived in L.A at one time and it still held a little bit of her heart but since moving to Europe she was not as impressed by the huge buildings, bustling streets and skyline as she had once been. She preferred the hills, the trees now, not to say that she didn't like to throw down and party once in a while but she had become more...at peace with herself she guessed.

"...So, you're telling me I _can't_ kill this guy, then?" Came the familiar voice as both of the office doors were pushed open.

"Not unless you wanna have a hoard of fire breathin' uglies on your ass" Another male voice came this one she did not recognize.

Buffy heard them stop abruptly as they saw her but she did not turn around, yet, she needed just another second.

"How'd you get in here?" The unfamiliar voice asked, surprised and angry.

The Slayer turned, arms still folded, to face the two men. The man who had spoke was tall around six feet, black chocolate skin tone, black hair shaven close, with full lips and a wide nose, large brown eyes that looked at her clearly liking what he saw. He was dressed in a snazzy and expensive charcoal suit, white shirt, and dark gray tie with silver tiepin, black shiny loafers and a brown leather briefcase in one hand.

Buffy's eyes moved to the man she had really come to see. Angel stood staring at her with his eyes a fraction wide and mouth open but with no words coming out. She had always loved seeing Angel's shocked face but she could find no humor in it today. His pale skin stood out against the dark walls and his dark brown hair was gelled back – not his usual spikiness, it had grown out since she had last seen him. He was tall but not as tall as the other man and his broad shoulders and chest seemed a little broader, his waist a little wider but it all suited him. As if anything could _not_ suit Angel. He wore black pants, black shoes, a dark blue shirt and a black jacket over the top of it. Angel looked well, for a vampire.

"Security around here isn't all it's cracked up to be," Buffy answered the man's question but kept her eyes on Angel "Guess the new management isn't either"

The black man took a step forward "Oh, yeah? How about I just call up here some of that security and we'll see how good they are?" He arched an eyebrow and pulled out a small silver flip phone.

Buffy shrugged "Go ahead"

He didn't seem to expect that response.

"Buffy," Angel finally managed and put his hand up to the other man to motion him into putting the phone away.

The man frowned and looked at her "Buffy? As in Buffy-the-vampire-slayer-love-of-your-undead-life-and-all-around-apocolypse-averter Buffy?"

"No, the other one" She replied a small smile on her lips before it dropped and her gaze turned back to the vampire "Nice setup you've got here. Shiny. New. Evil"

He opened and closed his mouth a few times then looked at his companion "Gunn, can I get –"

"A moment alone with your sweetie? Sure, nice to finally meet you" Gunn looked at her and walked over his hand outstretched.

She took it and shook firmly, he winced a little and she realized she had shook a little _too_ firmly "Sorry" She apologized.

Gunn nodded and backed away, looked at Angel "Any trouble you know where I am" He turned and walked out of the doorway pulling the doors shut behind him.

The vampire and the Slayer locked eyes and neither moved nor said anything for a long while. Angel finally moved away from the door and walked around to his desk, shrugging his jacket off and laying it around the back of his chair. Then he walked back around the desk to stand close in front of her.

"Buffy," Angel looked deep at her "Good to see you. You look –"

"So, what's with the walking around in sunlight?" She said briskly looking back out of the window at the city "You not telling me something?"

He shook his head "It's special glass means I can walk around in here and not burst into flames"

"That's gotta be...neat"

"Yeah..." Angel shifted on his feet "I heard from Andrew that you weren't exactly pleased about the..."

Buffy turned back to him sharply "About the you taking over an evil law firm? Yeah, I don't know why but for some reason that really bothers me"

He sighed and stepped closer to her "Buffy, I'm here to do good. The resources here are more than anything we could come up with on our own and I'm in charge, I'm changing this place slowly but surely. I figure in a few years time we could have this place completely turned around"

She nodded "Okay, a few years time...sorry, if I don't get this Angel but you could turn this place around in a few weeks, a month. Burn it down. Kill everyone on your client list that is evil, which would be about...ninety five percent, right? Then move on. That would turn this place around and nothing less than that"

"Buffy, you don't understand –" He held his hands out.

"I do understand. It's you who don't. I guess the power has gone to your head," She said, "because you are _helping_ these things get away with murder literally. Has your mission changed that much now, Angel? Do you think you've atoned for your past uglies and you're a little bored so you might as well make some new ones for yourself?"

Angel puffed his chest and shook his head "We are changing things here. We are doing the best we can. We can't just kill everyone on the list. If we did a new branch would appear somewhere and we'd be out, we would have had a chance at changing things and we would have thrown it away. Why did you come here, just to criticize my judgements? Andrew made it pretty damn clear what you thought"

"You know that's not the _only_ reason I came" Buffy said softly.

Silence filled the room and it was one of tension, Angel's face held anger and resentment whilst she kept hers centered and as calm as she could be. The silence stretched on and that was about the times the doors to the office burst open and a green skinned demon with small red horns and a jazzy yellow suit walked in followed by Wesley Wyndham-Price, Buffy's former Watcher. Buffy saw he no longer wore glasses, contact's she was betting, and he had a rugged looking covering of stubble over his chin and jaw. He also wore a dark green shirt and black slacks and he held a couple of file folders in his hand.

"Angel-cakes, who's your gorgeous friend?" The green skinned demon asked turning his red eyes to Buffy as he wandered over, walking jauntily.

"This is –" Angel started.

"Buffy," Wesley saw her and smiled he walked over and there was warmth in his eyes "It's good to see you again"

Buffy couldn't help but smile too "Hey, Wesley"

She had expected just a handshake or mutual smile but her old Watcher pulled her into an impulsive hug and she felt her eyes widen. Wesley had certainly changed – as the new muscles in his body testified. He had become a demon hunter and, by all accounts, a good one. He moved away and gave her another smile this one sheepish.

"Buffy? Oh, wait Buffy! The Slayer, of course!" The green demon grinned to show his pearly whites and he slapped his hands together in mirth "Good to meet you finally, honey-cheeks. I've heard so much. Yet none did you justice"

"Oh, uh...thanks..." She frowned.

"Lorne," He told her his name and held out his hand, which she shook.

Buffy nodded "Lorne, right. Nice to meet you. I'd like to say I've heard a lot too but..."

Lorne nodded and grinned flamboyantly "But Angel-face isn't real forthcoming with details, right? Ha! I know"

Angel turned to the two men "Guys, we were kind of having a private conversation here"

"Oh, of course. We'll go but we need to discuss the Hornbill Deal after, Angel" Wesley started to walk away.

Buffy shook her head "No, you guys stay. I have other people I need to see here"

Wesley and Lorne gave each other a knowing look whereas Angel just fumed.

"Right," Wesley cleared his throat "Of course you do"

"Any ideas as to that person's whereabouts?" Buffy asked politely.

He nodded "Yes, I think you'll find what you're looking for on the third story. The lab."

The Slayer smiled her thanks and then turned and walked out of the office closing the doors behind herself and letting out a deep tension filled breath. She could practically feel Angel's anger even from out here. She heard the three men talking rapidly and her hearing was good enough to know it was all about her and not the Hornbill Deal. However, Buffy had other places to be – a science lab for instance. That was one place Buffy Summers never thought she'd end up. Willow would have been proud.

The ride down in the elevator was a long one and this time she got the whole thing to herself. Buffy bounced on the balls of her feet and whistled along to the dreadfully cheery music that the elevator was playing. After a while she realized it was an instrumental of Wind Beneath my Wings by Bette Midler and Buffy flushed at her whistling of it. This place really was _evil_.

The doors slid open to the lab level and she was almost blinded by the sheer amount of white – white floors, walls, and ceilings. She stepped in and the doors slid closed behind her leaving her in this hospital like place and boy, did she hate hospitals. As she walked further in she saw that a lot of the place had glass walls and as she walked down a corridor she could see into the main body of the lab where people in white coats were looking down through microscopes at slides and others were testing new machinery, some tapping at computers, others blowtorching things to test durability she guessed. Buffy had presumed it would be like the Initiative complex back in Sunnydale but she saw no testing on demons, no live demons anyway. There were dead bodies that were being worked on and all the machinery just made Buffy's head spin; she had never been a science queen.

The Slayer walked down the flight of steps that lead down into the lab and she walked across as various scientists ignored her. All of the people here were human or at least all of the alive people in here and all seemed to be deeply involved in their work.

Finally someone seemed to notice her, a guy of about her age maybe a little older walked over with a bounce in his step. He had floppy brown hair and brown eyes, a goofy grin on his face – he was tall and lanky but that grin was infectious. He looked strangely familiar but she didn't know why.

"Woah, hey! Non-science geek alert! Non-science geek alert!" He whooped "Are you lost? Believe me it's nothing to be ashamed of. I got lost my whole first month here"

Buffy tilted her head "What makes you think I'm not a science geek?"

"Well, you don't look the type" He grinned "Besides, you're not wearing a cool white coat. Hi, I'm Knox, can I help you?"

She nodded "Yeah, I'm looking for a guy"

"Well, you found one" Knox wiggled his eyebrows.

Buffy smiled a little "He's about this tall, blond hair, leather coat –"

"Oh, sure," Knox turned and pointed to another small staircase that "First office on the left"

She nodded and walked toward that staircase paused, looked back at Knox to find him watching her. He waved at her and she turned and walked slowly up the stairs the broke into a little run. The corridor those stairs lead to was painted white –surprise, surprise – and as Buffy reached the first door on the left she saw it was open and bit's of conversation wafted out as she came and stood in the doorway.

"...You're fine"

"No more ghostly goings on? You're sure, luv?..."

"...I am _totally_ sure, Spike"

Buffy took in the scene quickly a brunette woman sat on the edge of her desk, her dark hair was loose and a little wavy and she wore square-rimmed glasses that suited her slender face well. She wore a knee level flowery skirt, a light blue shirt and one of those white lab coats. Her lips were painted red and she pushed a hand through her hair shyly as her brown eyes looked at the vampire in front of her. The word gawky came to Buffy's mind when she saw the pretty but shy girl.

The Slayer's eyes turned to Spike who stood in front of the girl with his back turned to Buffy. He wore his dark black duster and his hair was still slicked back, peroxide colored and he was so very much _here._ Not dead. Not dead. Andrew had spilled the secret Spike had not wanted to him to tell her – that he was actually alive...or as alive a vampire could get. Right then though all her anger left at his lying because he was here.

"Looking good for a pile of dust, Spike" Buffy spoke and there was no tremor in her voice, which she was very proud of.

The brunette woman's eyes looked up at her and she jumped standing up straight as Spike spun on his heel, his duster flowing around him like a cape. His beautiful light blue eyes locked on her, looked her over and then rested on her eyes wide with shock. She looked him over his pale skin still molded to those cheekbones that looked so sharp they might cut but she knew from experience that they did not. His soft lips fell open a little and he mouthed something silently. Buffy saw he wore his usual tight black T-shirt, black jeans under the duster plus biker boots of course.

"Buffy" Spike whispered and his face was one of an exquisite mixture of joy and surprise "Buffy, you're..."

The Slayer stepped into the room slowly.

"So this is Buffy..." She heard the other woman say quietly.

Buffy and Spike walked toward one another slowly and she smiled at him, still looking him over and feeling an overwhelming relief that he was well and so very much not dead. As if synchronized they reached each other in the middle and Buffy looked at him. Spike threw his arms around her and pulled her into a tight hug, he lifted her off the ground, which Buffy widened her eyes at but allowed. She wrapped her arms around his neck and he swung her around once before setting her back down on the floor but neither one let go.

"Why didn't you call...?" Buffy whispered in his ear, still in his embrace.

"Was a ghost for a fair bit of time, luv," He whispered back "Couldn't pick up a sodding phone. Tried to go to you but I couldn't leave the city limits"

Buffy pulled back enough to look in his eyes "And after?"

"And after..." Spike hung his head "After, I didn't want to ruin things for you. I saved the bloody world and I was afraid I would never live up to that again. So, I s'pose I wanted you to remember me like that"

She looked at him "That is so lame"

He let out a loud chuckle and she laughed with him until she stepped back into him and slipped her arms around his waist, leaned her head on his chest and listened to his heart not beating. Spike stroked her hair and his body shivered at her touch.

Neither of them noticed Angel standing in the doorway, arms folded and a blank face.


	2. Confrontation

"So, what do you think about her then?" Gunn asked as he stood leaning against the wall looking out at the whole of Angel's office.

Wesley was sat on the leather couch and Lorne was making himself a drink from the cabinet whereas Fred was pacing the room anxiously. They all stopped what they were doing and turned to look at him with different variations of a puzzled expression on their faces.

"Of Buffy, the Slayer?" He said "'Cos to me, the hype surrounding her? Pretty much justified. The girl is _fine_"

"You think?" Fred asked critically.

"Hell yes" Gunn grinned, "Am I right, Wes?"

Wesley looked up "Hmm? Oh, Buffy. Well, I don't really think of her like that, I was once her Watcher you know"

"That don't mean you haven't got eyes, man" Gunn grinned.

"Well, no. I suppose that she is quite attractive..." Wesley mused.

"Quite? Honey, the girl is a stunner!" Lorne announced swirling his scotch around in his tumbler "I would kill for eyes that big and those lips! To die for!"

Fred started pacing again then stopped and cocked her head "Really? I don't know I just thought she was...average. I mean pretty, but not _that_ great"

"Yeah right. Am I sensing a little of the green eyed-monster here, sweetie?" Lorne looked at the Texan girl.

She looked at him "What? Me? Jealous? No! Why would I care?"

"'Cos you used to have a thing for Angel and Spike was totally your new flirt-buddy" Gunn pointed out, leaning back against the wall "Can you say 'jealous'"

"Can you say 'wrong'" Fred frowned "Spike was not my...flirt buddy! Besides, I'm over Angel and I am not a little girl. I just think it's a little weird that these two vampires with souls would fall for the same girl. The way they made her out to be I'd have thought she glowed and her feet didn't touch the ground"

"Jealous" Gunn coughed the word out and Fred narrowed her eyes at him.

Wesley looked at the woman "Fred, Angel and Buffy have a very complicated history remember and Spike and Buffy seemed to have something deep too. You can't choose who you fall in love with" He said pointedly looking at her.

Fred blushed and nodded looking around and then she continued to pace up and down up and down. Wesley cleared his throat and then looked back down at his file flicking through it absently. Lorne raised his eyebrows at Gunn and then took a swig of his scotch. Gunn heard the Slayer and the two vampires outside and he motioned to the guys that they were coming. Fred stopped pacing, Wesley stood, Gunn pushed away from the wall and Lorne sidled up. They ended up all in a line staring straight at the door as the three of them entered. Angel and Spike were arguing, as usual, and Buffy rolled her eyes but they all froze in a line too as they saw the members of Angel's team.

"What are you all lookin' at?" Spike growled lighting up a cigarette.

Buffy stood in-between the two vampires as a sort of barrier and it was clear she was wondering the same thing.

"Nothing, Billy-boy" Gunn grinned.

"Hi, I don't think we were introduced" Fred stepped forward and held her hand out to Buffy "I'm Fred"

"Oh, right. Willow told me a lot about you," Buffy shook her hand and smiled warmly "She said you were a genius"

"Oh, I don't really think..." Fred blushed with pride.

"Hey, with these two around" Buffy motioned to the vampires "You guys probably need all the brains you can get"

Spike looked at her "Back five minutes and you're insulting me again. Think you'd be happy I was back from the dead"

"No excuse for missing out on a good insult" The Slayer smiled.

"Well, as heartwarming as this is..." Angel walked into his office and picked up his jacket "I kind of want some time by myself. Got a lot of paperwork to do" He dropped in his chair.

Everyone looked around awkwardly and they all piled out except Spike and Buffy who stayed behind and the Slayer shut the doors. Angel started scribbling away at papers and she watched him with disdain – how he had changed in a couple of months amazed her and not in a good way.

"S'all he ever does now – soddin' paperwork" Spike whispered to Buffy.

Angel looked up, eyes dark "I can hear you – vampire hearing, remember?"  
Spike grinned at him gleefully "I know"

The dark haired vampire stood and walked around his desk "Spike, you aren't welcome in my office. You aren't welcome anywhere here"

"It's a public place so get lost," Spike spat taking a drag of his cigarette and swaggering over to his immortal enemy "mate"

"I am not your mate" Angel folded his arms and glowered down at him.

"Too bloody right you're not" He smirked.

"Nothing's keeping you here anymore, Spike," Angel motioned to the door "So, why don't you just go?"

The blond vampire shrugged "Maybe I've got used to a few things 'round here"

"Like what?"

"Well, I got a bit of a soft spot for your pretty science girl, Charlie's an all right bloke and, oh yeah, I just love getting right up you nose" Spike grinned blowing the smoke from his cigarette into Angel's face.

Angel's face grew stone cold "Why don't you go back with Buffy, hmm? I'll tell you why because you know she doesn't want you there. That's what you think and, well, she's not exactly dragging you out of the door is she?"

Buffy started to interject.

"Oh yeah?" Spike looked at him; eyebrows raised "Well, doesn't seem too keen on you right now either, does she? Mr. Sell-Out to the dark side. She's seen what a bloody moron you are finally. You're meant to be such a champ but look at you you're nothin' but the senior partners whipping boy"

Angel launched himself forward lightening quick and grabbed the lapels of Spike's jacket he hurled him over his desk and into the wall behind – the vampire crumpled to the floor. Angel turned and jumped on his desk and leapt off it to land on the blond. The two of them morphed faces and rolled around on the floor knocking over random items in their fighting.

Spike got his boot to Angel's abdomen and kicked him back so hard he flew through the air and hit the windows with a crunch. If they had been made out of normal glass he would have sailed right through into the bright sunshine. Angel recovered just in time to get a series of vicious punches in the face by Spike.

The blond vampire grinned showing plenty of fangs "What's this then, Angelus? Want me to beat you down again. My pleasure"

Spike went to punch him again but Angel grabbed his fist and twisted it, ducking underneath Spike's arm to shove him from behind into the spider-webbed window face first.

"Like to see you try it again, Spiky-boy" Angel growled in his ear.

Before either could do anymore damaged to each other Angel was propelled backwards and hit the opposite wall hard with his back. Then Spike was spun around and shoved to the back of the room as far away as they could get. Angel picked himself up off of the floor and turned to the Slayer hissing, his demon face filled with rage.

Buffy motioned for him to come closer "You wanna fight? Either of you? Then fight me"

Neither got the chance to answer because as that moment a team of commandos crashed through the door all dressed in black swat gear and carrying guns. Buffy realized they had come to protect their boss. They fanned around her and pointed their guns at her expertly. There were six of them and the Slayer just smiled.

"Hands up!" One cried.

Buffy put her hands slowly in the air, the smile still on her face "What's the problem, guys?"

At that moment Fred, Gunn, Lorne and Wesley rushed in all with varying degrees of shock and surprise on their faces. Fred had come in first and in his hurry Gunn had run into the back of her followed by Wesley into the back of him and Lorne into the back of Wesley. They all halted and just watched the show.

The Slayer looked at the commandos "Say, do any of you know an Agent Finn? 'Cos, he can verify I get on well with army guys"

Spike snorted "Yeah, she does at that"

Buffy grinned and then out of the corner of her eye she saw Angel step forward and take in the situation.

The vampire boss morphed his face back to human "Put your weapons down"

The men all hesitated.

"Yeah, guys, put them down" Buffy urged.

The Slayer jumped back a split second before a bullet would have gone straight through her temple – instead it zipped in front of her face and she watched it in slow motion. From then on the Slayer was no longer Miss. Nice Girl. Buffy jumped up and lashed out with a snap kick to the commando that had attempted to shoot her. He flailed backward his gun firing wildly into the ceiling and she slammed a hard kick to his stomach which sent him sailing backward in to the wall and knocking him unconscious.

It was about that time that the others all pulled their triggers simultaneously.

Buffy jumped up and somersaulted backward in the air landing on Angel's desk the bullets firing around her. She jumped off and landed an awesome kick to the face of another commando instantly breaking his nose and sending him crashing to the floor. His gun went up and she plucked it out of the air and swung it around into the head of another commando who had turned to shoot her just a second too slow. The commando staggered to the side and Buffy spun around and hurled the barrel of the gun into the gut of another soldier behind her. He gagged and doubled over and she took the opportunity to smash his face with the gun then follow through with a punch to his jaw. He fell backward and hit his head on the edge of Angel's desk going down and staying down. Buffy turned back to the commando she had previously hit but who had now more or less recovered she knocked his gun out of his hand and punched him twice before kicking him in the stomach. The commando careening backward and into the last two commando's standing that had been about to pump her full of lead. The three of them fell to the floor just as the guy she had broken the nose of got back up and rushed at her with a knife. The Slayer sidestepped him and as he rushed past she grabbed the back of his neck and slammed his head down onto Angel's desk once, twice and three times until he fell to the floor.

"Buffy!" Spike and Angel called out warning.

The Slayer vaulted over the desk and took cover as bullets rained everywhere. Buffy grabbed the bottom of the desk and then crouched down before she heaved the whole thing upwards and forwards. She stood just in time to see the heavy desk hit all three remaining commandos and force them into the back wall devastatingly hard. They all slumped to the floor with the desk landing on their legs and they did not move.

Buffy heard Lorne wince and Gunn let out a low appreciative whistle.

She looked around and saw that the floor was littered with bodies of unconscious commandos and she looked up to see Fred looking at her wide-eyed and more than a little scared, Gunn was grinning and had an eyebrow arched, Wesley just looked satisfied and Lorne looked a little stunned. She ticked her gaze to the back wall where Spike stood dangerously close to where she had launched the desk and he turned to her still in demon face and grinned.

"Made easy work of them, luv" He clapped with pride.

Lastly the Slayer turned her gaze on Angel who stood off to her left and who looked at her with wide, apologetic eyes. His arms hung loosely at his sides but he was hunched over a little and she figured he was probably hurt from her pushing him against the wall with excess force.

"Buffy, I –" Angel started.

"Thanks for the welcoming committee, Angel," She said looking at him with a blank face "But it really wasn't necessary. Reminds me why I don't live in Los Angeles anymore – dangerous."

At that moment a very familiar blond vampire entered the room wearing a pink summer dress and strappy sandals.

"Angel, you have a troop of Garagos demons outside for your twelve o' clock and –" Harmony noticed Buffy "Slayer, hey. So, the Garagos are outside and they are _pretty_ testy, if you know what I mean"

"Harmony..." Angel groaned.

"Harmony is working for you!" Buffy's eyes widened and she let out a bitter laugh "Oh, well that's just the icing on the cake. She's a _vampire_, Angel"

"So is he!" Harmony pointed to Angel then turned to Spike "And him!"

Angel ignored her "It wasn't my choice. She was already working here and –"

Buffy put her hand up "None of my business, Angel. Obviously your priorities have changed since we last spoke. I thought you wanted to fight evil – not give it a pay rise"

"Pay rise? Ha!" Harmony snorted and rolled her eyes.

"I guess I've seen all I need to see," Buffy locked eyes with the vampire "It looks like we're not allies anymore, Angel. That's one of the things I never thought I'd have to say"

"'Cept for when he loses his soul" Spike pointed out.

Angel shot him a look then turned back to the Slayer "Buffy, you don't understand"

"I do, Angel. You're not the same man I used to know or you wouldn't be doing _this_" Buffy turned and walked toward the door passing Harmony and stepping over bodies as she went.

She walked past Team Angel who all followed her with their eyes and then she was out of the door and walking to the elevator.

Spike morphed his face back to human and looked at Angel "Well done, mate. I think you really made your point and stood your ground" He let out a long laugh and then turned and walked to the door, looking back at him and quirking an eyebrow "I better go after her. Give her a shoulder to cry on, if you know what I mean"

With that the peroxide haired vampire turned and strolled out of the door a smug expression on his face.

Everyone left in the room was silent and all looked around at one another. The bodies still were littering the floor.

"So, shall I show the Garagos demons in?" Harmony asked, looking at her boss innocently.

Buffy felt herself fuming as she stepped into the elevator and turned to face the corridor as the doors started to close. Angel had just stood there and let her get attacked by his _bodyguards_ for Christ's sake and Harmony was working for him! Harmony! It was so unbelievable. When Andrew had told them about what was going on in L.A fully she didn't believe it so she had to find out for herself. She had also known that he was hiding something and had badgered him until he had spilled the beans on Spike and she couldn't believe that either – had to see him with her own eyes.

Pale fingers prized the doors open and the vampire she had just been thinking about stepped in. He had lit up a fresh cigarette and gave her a look as he entered the elevator stood side by side with her at the front. Behind them stood five lawyers – two women three men and none conversed amongst themselves.

Spike took a long puff as the doors closed, looked at her sideways but continued to face front "I see you haven't lost any of your moves, pet"

"It's only been a couple of months since..." Buffy trailed off, looking down at her shoes for a moment then back up at the elevator doors.

"Funny, it seemed longer," Spike mused melancholically then took a breath "So, heard you're in England with Giles. I could just see you there – it always bucketing down with rain, mud in your wellies, sun never shining. Yeah, you fit in _real_ well with that picture" He snorted.

"It's not that bad and you know it" She smiled a little

"Yeah but you're Californian girl at heart, all sunbeams and endless beaches" Spike sighed taking another drag of his cigarette.

"I don't know...maybe," Buffy nodded "But it's a new start. A clean slate, you know? I get to live a normal...or at least a more normal life. I still patrol every so often but there's enough Slayers the world over now that I don't have to do it on a regular basis. Giles' house is big enough for him and the gang and, I don't know, it just feels _right_. Peaceful. Safe. –"

"Boring" Spike turned and looked at her.

Buffy turned to face him too and shook her head "No, it's not, it's –"

"Boring" Spike said again "I might be all right for ordinary folk but you are most definitely not normal, Slayer. Buffy, you are extraordinary and you deserve to lead an exciting life. I get that you're taking a well deserved break from slaying but, honestly, luv, are you happy just wandering around good ol' Blighty?"

She looked at him "It's good enough for now. What about you Spike? Never really saw you as working for Angel"

"He bloody wishes" Spike grunted "I'm not working for him I was haunting him"

"And now?"

"Now, I'm..." He sighed and looked down at the floor "I'm..."

Buffy reached over and took his hand and they both looked down at their fingers entwined and Buffy was pretty sure they were both remembering the same thing. The day Spike had sacrificed himself to save the whole world from the First Evil. They looked up into each other's eyes simultaneously and let go of each other's hand.

"You should go home, Spike" Buffy whispered.

"Where's home?"

"Wherever you can be yourself and be accepted as you are" She said.

Spike looked away then back at her "There's only once place I can think of then"

"Where?"

"Wherever you are" Spike spoke softly, looked deeply into her eyes.

Buffy tilted her head "Then why don't you come back with me?"

He shrugged then his eyes lit up in a small show of hope "I didn't know if I was welcome"

"Spike," The Slayer looked back at him and she smiled a little "You're a hero. A good man. I like to keep as many of those around me as possible"

He grinned "That an invite?"

"That an acceptance?" She countered.

Spike grin turned to a slight smile and he looked down at the elevator small and Buffy was sure that if he could blush he would be blushing right about then. He took a few puffs of his cigarette and then looked off shyly to one side and Buffy had to smile at his coyness.

The vampire looked up again "So are you off home right now?"

"I can get a flight back for tomorrow night," She said slowly "If I want"

He looked at her "Thinkin' bout taking a holiday here? I thought you made it clear you wanted nothing to do with the big poof upstairs"

"He's not the only reason I came," Buffy said looking pointedly at him "Besides, L.A has a great night life"

"Dangerous, though" Spike grinned mimicking her earlier words.

The Slayer smiled back for a moment "A little bit of danger..."

"...is good for the soul." He finished taking another puff and exhaling "So, how do you feel about me showing you around? I happen to know some very good pubs"

The elevator hit ground floor, the doors slid open and she stepped out.

"It's daylight, Spike" Buffy said.

"Tonight then?" He said holding the doors open.

She looked at him for a long while "Yeah. Okay"

"Meet you here at nine?" Spike asked.

"Sure, great way to start the night – meet in a place of evil" She smiled "Nine o'clock. Got it. Great to see you again Spike. You really do look good for a pile of dust"

Spike chuckled as her eyes sparkled and then she turned and walked across the large lobby to the exit. He watched her go and then stepped out himself and made his way to the blood bank, he was suddenly hungry – she always did hasten his appetite.

The remaining lawyers in the elevator all had raised eyebrows.

One cleared his throat "Heavy"

The others nodded in agreement. The doors slid closed.


	3. A Night Out to Remember

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A/N: Thanks everyone who reviewed this fic – it made me feel _so_ good. Well, as you can see chapter three is now up, so what are you waiting for? Read it! (The song lyrics used are from The Calling's song 'Unstoppable')

Buffy followed Spike as he pushed his way to the front of a line of one of Los Angeles most popular nightclubs. She had no idea how he expected to get in because you had to cue in a place like this and Spike was not dressed up he was dressed as he had been this morning. Not that he didn't look good in it but that wasn't the point in one of these places – they had a code. Buffy, herself, had made a bit of an effort. She was wearing a short black dress that had a keyhole neck at the front showing a bit of cleavage and had a tie around her neck which was the only thing keeping it up. It just _just_ dusted her knees and with that she wore three-inch spike heels with thin straps that she found easy to walk in. She had a jacket on too it was waist level and black leather. Spike had seemed very appreciative of what she had been wearing when he met her outside Wolfram and Hart. A few years ago he would have made a lewd comment but tonight his eyes had just widened and he had choked on the smoke from his cigarette – she took that as a good sign as to what she looked like.

Now as people made sounds of disgruntlement because of Spike's shoving Buffy felt herself getting separated from the vampire. She called out his name and he turned, grabbed her hand and then pulled her along. Buffy didn't allow herself to be pulled along by just anyone and she couldn't help the small shot of electricity that ran up her hand, wrist and arm from the contact. The fact that she had thought she would never get to see this man again was probably what intensified that. _Probably_.

Someone tried to challenge Spike's pushing in so he morphed faces and hissed at the man and then no one challenged him again. They got to the front of the line where the velvet rope was pulled across and the big bouncers looked at them.

"Hey, Spike!" One of the big guys asked, his brown eyes looking down on them, as he seemed to be seven feet tall.

"Maurice" Spike nodded at him.

Maurice looked over at Buffy "Who's your honey?"

"Never you mind that" Spike squeezed her hand a little "So, you gonna let us in or am I gonna freeze my perfect arse off?"

The large man chuckled and the pulled the velvet rope off and motioned them in, Spike walked through and kept hold of her as he did. They made it to the cloakroom and Buffy took her jacket off but Spike, not surprisingly, chose to keep his. As they walked down the stairway to the main body of the club loud throbbing music pounded up to them and Buffy felt the vibrations through her feet. There were bodies packed tight on the dance floor, all writhing very closely together to frenetic beats, some couples hadn't even made it to the floor and were packed tightly on the staircase so that the supernatural couple had to squeeze through them.

When the strobe lights stopped pulsing the lights were very muted and it made the whole place seem strangely intimate. There were hundreds of people packed close and yet it looked intimate. The walls of the club were painted black and the whole place had a slightly gothic theme to it with high chandeliers, which didn't provide any light but were very pretty in a medieval way.

When they reached the bottom of the steps and the music started up a hauntingly dark melody as if on cue Buffy felt a strong arm slip around her waist. She turned around in surprise and found herself encircled in Spike's arms, strong, familiar and strangely electrifying. A thin tendril of excitement ran up her spine and it was a feeling she hadn't felt for a while – the feeling of exhilaration, of being in the arms of someone that made her excited. Buffy felt her eyes widened as she looked up at him and Spike stepped away taking it as a sign of rejection.

"I'm out of line," Spike said softly but she heard it above the music as his arms fell away from her.

"No, Spike, you're not. It's fine" She wanted to say it was better than fine but instead she reached out and took his hand.

Buffy turned toward the dance floor and held Spike's hand above her head as she walked towards it and pulled him along behind her. It was kind of a slow dance but still with a rhythm you could really dance to – it was also very melodic and dusky and she figured it was the kind of music Spike could dance to. Man, was _that_ an understatement.

As she turned back around to face him when they reached somewhere near the middle of the floor where they had managed, somehow, to clear a space Spike's eyes were all for hers. She found that particularly honorable because there were a lot of girls that had on less than Buffy's dress around them. In fact Buffy looked positively demure next to a lot of the girls here.

Spike's arm slid back around her waist and he pulled her into him possessively so that their chests were pressed together but Buffy made sure their thighs were not as she did not want to risk him getting the wrong idea. She wasn't even sure herself what the right idea was because she was just happy too see him again, touch him again and she didn't want to get carried away.

The words of the song floated to her ears, sung by a husky voiced male.

__

"Come and lay right on my bed sit and drink some wine

I'll try not to make you cry

If you get inside my head then you'd understand,

then you'd understand me.

Why I felt so alone, why I kept myself from love

And you became my favorite drug

So let me take you right now, swallow you down,

I need you inside"

Buffy felt her eyes flicker up to Spike's at those words as they swayed slowly together, he held one of her hands in his as his other hand stroked her lower back. The words seemed to describe her relationship with him back when she had been using him to feel something, _anything_. Spike looked down at her with a serious expression on his alabaster face.

__

"Do you think that this is right, or is it really wrong

I know that this is what we've been wanting

And all this is burning in my soul; it fills up to my throat

It fills up till my heart is breaking"

Buffy felt that this song might have been written for her and Spike and he seemed to think the same thing because he gave her one of those smoldering looks and she had to look away and lean her head against his shoulder. She felt his hand run up from her lower back to the large portion of her bare back that the dress exposed. His cold fingers slid up between her shoulder blades and then traced them lightly, teasingly. She felt herself move against him because of the light contact and Spike's grip on her hand tightened a little as if reacting to her reaction.

__

"When I wake up without you, knowing you're not there

I'm only feeling half as good

Well, I'm gonna find a way

To wrap you in my arms, you make me feel alive"

Buffy's other hand gripped Spike's shoulder and his hand moved up from her shoulder blades to nestle on the back of her neck under her loose blond hair. His fingers found the base of her skull and stroked there before moving around to the soft skin just behind her ear, which he ran a finger softly down making her close her eyes in relaxation.

At that moment the song ended and a more upbeat dance one came on.

Spike and Buffy remained in an embrace for a few moments until she pulled back and out of the circle of his arms, as she pulled away he ran his hands down her biceps, forearms and hands until she was out of reach. She looked at him feeling suddenly awkward.

Spike seemed to understand because he quirked an eyebrow and jabbed his thumb at the bar "Drink?"

"I don't think yes would be a strong enough word" Buffy nodded quickly.

He gave her a faint smile and turned pushing his way through the throng of gyrating people. Buffy followed close behind and leaned against a free space of the bar as Spike craned down so she could whisper in his ear what she wanted. Buffy was tempted to answer _isn't that just _the_ question?_ But instead she said a bottle of beer. Spike ordered the two beers and moments later they were there and he had paid, handed one to her and taken a large gulp of his own.

"So, how you liking L.A so far?" He yelled.

Buffy shrugged "I used to live here but, I guess, it's pretty...lively"

"Yeah," He laughed "Not that I'd know anything about that being a dead guy"

She almost smiled but held it back looking back over the crowd. When she turned back she saw a young pretty blond had pretty much attached herself to Spike's side and was whispering something in his ear provocatively. Buffy turned to stare at him full on and as the blond whispered he kept his eyes on Buffy as she arched an eyebrow at him. Spike chuckled at her look and then turned to the girl and whispered something in her ear. The girl frowned and then turned on her heel and left in a hurry.

"What did you say to her?" She asked.

"Told her you were my wife and had a black belt in practically every martial art known to man" Spike smirked "Works every time"

Buffy slugged some beer "Also a partial truth. Which is new for you, Spike"

He did laugh then and widened his eyes for a second before letting them drop to normal "Have you forgotten I'm all reformed and with honor now? Righting wrongs and defending...fluffy rabbits and the like"

"That I would like to see" She looked him in the eye.

"So, you really wailed on Angel-breath's gang of chaperone's – they're still in the infirmary last thing I heard and are not best pleased" Spike sipped his beer "You could've killed them"

"They were human. Barely" Buffy shrugged.

"Tell you something though, luv, you drew some big attention to yourself. You're the new buzz around the office –they've seen _a_ Slayer before but the Wolfram and Hart big wigs seem to know you're _the_ Slayer. They're all getting very sweaty about it," Spike frowned "Not sure if they're excited or just scared as hell of you"

"Here's hoping it's the latter" Buffy raised her beer.

They clinked their bottles together – a toast.

When Buffy stepped out of another club two hours later she was laughing throatily and Spike followed close behind also giving a hearty laugh. She hadn't had this much fun for a long time – what with the apocalypse and then the aftermath of that, moving to a different country...it made for a very stressful time. But here and now with a man she had thought was dead to the world she was having a great time.

Buffy pulled her jacket on against the chilly night air and let out a breath as they walked down the dark street – music from clubs blaring out behind them.

Soon they were almost the only people out and Buffy's heels clacking against the sidewalk were loud, echoing through the empty back street. If she was any other girl she would have been freaked out by the dark and the eerie feel of it all but she was the Slayer and if an empty street was all she had to worry about then it was a good day.

Spike lit up a cigarette and inhaled deeply blowing the smoke out into the night sky before glancing at her from the corner of his eye.

"You gave those blokes a right telling off" He grinned.

Buffy smiled and shrugged "When I say I don't wanna dance I mean it"

"Yeah, I think the fact that their wrinklies are squashed to a pulp will remind them of that next time, don't you?" Spike laughed, took a hit of his cigarette.

The Slayer smiled remembering the two jerks that had practically tried to drag her onto the dance floor as she had come out of the bathroom. She had politely refused at first but they hadn't got the picture so she had rammed a foot between the legs of both of them before they had a time to react. She hadn't used her Slayer strength just her normal girl kind – she didn't want to stop them from having children in later life when they had matured a little, she just wanted to make sure they got the picture.

"Been meaning to ask, how's Dawn?" Spike asked sounding as casual about it as he could.

Buffy looked at him then faced front "She's doin' great. Started high school again and she's the cool American kid – most popular girl in her year"

"Good for 'er" He nodded "Deserves some happiness"

She nodded slowly and spoke softly "We all do"

Spike cleared his throat "So, what about the rest of them? Did...did they all get out...did they all survive?"

"...Anya, she...she didn't make it" Buffy said solemnly.

Spike was quiet for a few moments "Bloody shame. She was a nice bird"

Buffy nodded "I thought Andrew would have told you"

"I stayed away from him as much as I could, didn't want him knowing I was..."

"Alive?" She looked at him then "Spike, why? I don't understand...I know you tried to explain but it just sounds like a load of crap. You know _we_ would have wanted to know if you were alive"

"I doubt that...its not like I was best pals with your mates"

"You know _I_ would have wanted to know" Buffy stopped walking in turn making him stop as she faced him down "But you were too afraid that I would, what, send you away?"

Spike gritted his teeth "For all I bloody knew you were living it up in Blighty. I didn't want to show up and mess things up for you not when you'd worked so bloody hard to make your life right again. For all I knew you had another soddin' wanker of a boyfriend, a nice little house and plans for the future all to your name. I didn't want to intrude on that. The way I went out was a noble way, better than I deserved to leave this world. Then I got pulled back and I thought that maybe you would be..."

"Be what, Spike?" She yelled.

"Be disappointed!" He yelled back throwing his hands up in the air.

Buffy looked at him with wide eyes and she shook her head not able to actually speak as his statement sunk in. She took a deep breath and felt her brow furrow as Spike grunted and took a deep rough hit off his cigarette then threw it to the ground and stamped on it. The vampire threw up his hands in derision and then turned on his heel and stormed off down the street.

The Slayer was having none of that she was going to tell him how stupid he was being so she started to run after him in her heels. Spike reached the end of the street with his coat swishing around him and he was about to turn the corner when a large black van sped around it and nearly ran him over. He yelled a curse at it and Buffy stopped as the van skidded to a halt on the road next to her. Spike turned around just as around eight commandos all dressed in black jumped out of the back of the van and onto the sidewalk.

Buffy brought her hands up into a defensive stance and readied herself for an attack as Spike called her name and started to run back to her. She didn't figure upon one of the commandos pulling a tranquilizer gun and shooting it into her chest. The Slayer pulled it out and slammed her foot into a commando that tried to grab her. As she did that another dart stuck into her back and she began to feel a little drowsy. Spike was pounding down the pavement towards her but he was a way away yet. The Slayer turned around and slugged her fist into another commando's face making him fall to the ground. Two more tranquilizers hit her and the Slayer went down. She fell forward into the arms of one commando who quickly lifted her over his shoulder and then ran back around the van. He jumped in the back followed by the seven others, two of them carrying their comrade who she had punched. Buffy was slammed down onto the floor of the van and then she fell into unconsciousness.

Spike reached the van just as they pulled the back doors shut and locked them. The vampire had morphed faces in his hurry and careened into the back of the van just as they had shut the doors. He growled and pounded his fists against the metal denting it. The van peeled away from the sidewalk and he jumped onto the back of it crawling up onto the roof and holding on tight. Spike punched his fist through the roof of the van and hissed. The driver jerked the wheel from side to side trying to shake him off but he held on tight.

Spike crawled down onto the front of the moving van to see the driver who was also geared up in army clothes but through his eyeholes he could see red eyes with a pinprick of white for pupils. Spike punched his way through the front windshield and crawled in trying to throttle the driver. He didn't account on the guy bringing out a gun and shooting him in the head.

Pain exploded through Spike's brain as the driver took the opportunity to swerve again and the vampire was propelled off and he hit a signpost with his back. Spike fell to the ground unconscious.

****

A/N: Dun! Dun! Dun! Want to see what happens next? You'll just have to wait. Keep the feedback coming; I do so love it. Maybe I should change my name to feedback fiend...hmm...


	4. Like a Hole in the Head

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A/N: Here is chapter Four. Hope you like. Left on a bit of a cliffhanger last time. So get reading.

Fred sat in her office looking through some paperwork and feeling supremely bored. Science was her passion but paperwork was not. She rested her head in her hands and massaged her fingers against her scalp.

The Slayer had shaken things up and she had only stayed for little over an hour. Now Angel was sulking in his apartment and wondering _yet again_ if what he was doing was the right and Spike was off out with her making Angel's mood even worse. Wesley for his part had been pleased to see Buffy and Fred guessed that he reminded her of at least _some_ good memories. Gunn had been salivating pretty much since she had come and Lorne had been buzzing around excited as he had finally met the 'lead female' in the 'saga of the two soulful vampires in love with the killer of their kind' or so he had pitched it to her. She could tell he was dying to make it into a movie – a blockbuster he assured her.

Fred had always wondered what the famous Buffy Summers would look like, be like, think like and though she had not exactly picked her brain she had to admit that the girl had power. The way she had dispatched of Angel's security team had been breathtaking she had sharp, hard, swift moves and they had been down within less than a minute. She had done this all without killing one of them although when she had taken three out with Angel's desk Fred had feared that they may have sustained brain damage. It had turned out that none of them had been _seriously_ injured just their pride. It seemed that Buffy Summers knew exactly how much to hurt them without actually _hurting_ them. The Slayer was dangerous but she looked like a prom queen and that's what, Fred guessed, made her so effective. You just didn't see her coming and by the time you did it was too late.

Fred looked up as she heard a ruckus coming from the lab she stood and walked around her desk to look out of the window that looked down on the whole lab. Her eyes widened as she saw Spike in the middle of the floor clutching the side of his head with dark blood running down his face and dripping down onto the white floor. She turned and ran out of her office, down the stairs and toward him.

"Spike! Oh my god! What happened?" She pushed her way through the crowd of scientists and grabbed his arm.

He looked at her blankly and then fell into her. Fred staggered backward as she tried to support his weight in her arms. They both ended up on the floor on their knees and Spike's head rested against her chest; she cradled his head feeling blood pouring over her hands and down her shirt.

"Get me the medics!" Fred yelled at her workers who immediately started rushing about "Someone get Angel and Wesley!"

She looked down at the top of Spike's head, as he was dead weight against her. As far as she could tell there was a wound in Spike's temple and it looked deep. She pressed her hand against it even though it really wouldn't help because he was a vampire. Finally Wesley arrived and rushed over looking at Spike himself. He and two other guys carried Spike over to one of their gurneys in the corner.

Wesley looked at Spike's wound "He seems to have been shot. Get me some pliers"

"What? Why?" Fred asked a little hysterically.

"I need to get the bullet out" He replied calmly.

Someone handed him the instrument and Wesley placed his hand on Spike's head to steady it as he plunged the pliers deep into the wound. The vampire's eyes opened and he thrashed around as Fred and three others tried to hold him down. Wesley pulled the pliers out and there was a small bloody bullet held in them. Spike screamed in pain and his face morphed to vampire as he shot his hand up and wrapped it around Wesley's throat. Fred picked up a fire hydrant and cracked it against Spike's arm as Wesley started to gag.

Spike's arm dropped and someone rushed up with a syringe, which they plunged into Spike's arm that two others held down. The vampire thrashed about and gnashed his teeth and then suddenly his eyes widened and then closed as he was sedated.

"Someone shot Spike?" Fred asked taking deep breaths.

"It would appear so," Wesley replied rubbing his throat "The question is who?"

She ran her hand down the vampire's face "Is he going to be all right? Can he have brain damage?"

"Spike? I'd say yeah," Angel said darkly as he had appeared beside them arms folded.

Fred's eyes widened "Angel! He got shot!"

"I can see that" Angel said

"Any ideas on who did it?" Wesley questioned quietly.

"Nope" Angel replied casually.

Fred looked at him "Angel, Spike is seriously hurt. Someone did this to him, don't you care?"

"Honestly? Not really"

Wesley and Fred looked at the dark-haired vampire.

When Buffy woke up naked and manacled to the ceiling by long chains fixed around her wrists and inside a cage she was not best pleased. She blinked over and over again as her vision cleared because the drugs had pretty much worn off but she was still drowsy. They must have given her enough to sink two full sized elephants. She had no idea how long she had been out but it must have been quite long because she felt like crap.

She looked around hazily and seemed to be in some kind of dungeon – it was dark, dank and there was a heavy door with a barred window so Buffy was guessing it was a dungeon. The Slayer pulled on her chains weakly at first and then as she regained her strength she pulled on them harder and harder but they refused to budge and she was betting that they were made of titanium or whatever other metal was basically unbreakable without a blowtorch.

It was freezing and she didn't know if that was because she was naked or because it was just really cold wherever she was being held. Her shoulders felt like they were being dislocated from the angle they were being held above her head by the chains and because she was so short her toes were only just touching the ground and it made it so that almost all her weight was on her wrists. Whoever the guys were who had taken her they knew their stuff.

Buffy remembered them now – black commandos with weaponry...mmh, where _had_ she seen that before? But Angel wouldn't have done this to her and she was one hundred percent sure of that. It could be that his guys were working on their own accord but she couldn't be sure of that.

The Slayer flexed her arms again and tried again again on her chains but all she got from that was cut up wrists.

"Well, I can honestly say that I have woke up in a few strange places but this..." Buffy looked around, at the cold stone floor, stone walls "...this is one of the nicest"

She was feeling more that a little self-conscious hanging there naked but she tried to make light of it. God, if only Giles could see her now...or actually no, that was probably a bad, _bad_ idea what with the nakedness. Still, she was sure he would be proud of the way she was handling things.

"You've been out for hours" Came a small female voice to the side and slightly behind her.

Buffy started and then turned her head at a painful angle and saw that off to the left and behind her was another giant cage and inside was a tall, lithe, brunette who was also naked and chained upright to the ceiling. Her long brown hair covered her chest but that was about it and from beneath the veil of hair were large scared brown eyes. She was a pretty girl but she was also bruised and battered and cold and scared – Buffy could sympathize. The Slayer noticed several cuts and puncture wounds all over her body.

"Who are you?" Buffy asked.

"My name is Katia" The girl said defiantly "And you are?" Her accent was slightly Russian.

"Buffy" She replied "Who's keeping us here?"

The girl shrugged "Good question. I've been here for...too long. All I know is that every day they come and they...cut me, take my blood"

Buffy looked at her "They don't drink it do they?"

"What? No! Why would they?" She cried, "They take it away in bottles...I don't know what they do with it. I just know that is hurts and that a girl died two weeks ago because they took too much"

"Are we the only two here?"

"For now" Katia nodded.

"When do they come to collect the blood?" Buffy asked looking back at the door.

"Every day...early afternoon, I don't know what time exactly. I don't even know what month it is"

"February"

"So that's why it's so cold"

Buffy took a breath "The lack of clothes probably doesn't help that"

"God, I'm never gonna get out of here, am I? I'm gonna die like that other girl...we both are" Katia bowed her head and took a few deep breaths "Oh God"

"We aren't gonna die" Buffy said confidently.

"How do you know?"

The Slayer looked back at her with serious eyes "Because I won't let us die. I've been through a hell of a lot worse than this and, frankly, I'm not even worried. Whatever they throw at us. We can get through this. I just saved the world and lived through it – I am not going out because of my universal donor status. No way"

Katia paused the nodded "Okay. You sound pretty sure. I believe you"

Buffy frowned then nodded slowly "Okay. Great" She turned back around to face the door and tilted her head "That was easier than I thought it would be"

Right then the heavy locks on the door were drawn back and the heavy wooden door was pushed open, two men entered and shut and locked the door behind them. Both were dressed in expensive looking suits tailored to fit them.

The first man was around thirty with black hair slicked against his head and ice cold blue eyes. His jaw and cheekbones with chiseled and he was clean-shaven, his eyebrows were perfectly plucked and his sideburns were short and clipped. The gray suit fit his body nicely showing off his muscled physique, his skin was tanned just right and his teeth were bright white. He was the poster boy for business chic.

The second man was around the age of fifty with silver-gray hair that was cut short and fine it didn't cover any of his forehead and was shaven very neatly around the temples as ears – it looked like it had just been cut. His eyes were also blue by they were a darker blue and his skin tone was paler – his face angular and her had a small nose, with soft pale lips. His face was nearly devoid of wrinkles except for thin crow's feet by his eyes and smile lines around his lips – he was a smiley person, go figure. His suit was black with a black shirt and white tie. The man held a black briefcase in his hand whereas the other man held nothing. Both were very handsome – and also evil.

Buffy looked between them and saw them both look her completely over the gray haired man grinned but the other did not, just registered her appearance and showed no facial expression.

"Hey," Buffy spoke conversationally "You know, it's a _little_ chilly in here. I don't want to catch a cold"

The older man chuckled "We'll bear it in mind, Miss Summers"

So they knew her name – the plot thickens.

"Great. So how about you also bear in mind letting me go before I smash your face in," Buffy said also in a conversational tone.

He took a few steps back and put his hands up laughing "Woah, now _that_ was scary. I really don't think you're in any position to make threats"

"Promises" Buffy corrected "So, I heard you want our blood. Wanna share why?"

"No" The dark haired man spoke finally in a deep rolling base of a voice.

She flicked her eyes over to him and looked him over.

"Oh, I think we can tell Buffy," The other man grinned "She's a pro. Well, as you're aware you changed things drastically in the world of the Slayers, Buffy. Vampires still exist and still want to kill you and drink your blood. They may not be able to kill you but now they can drink your blood"

Buffy looked into the old man's eyes and she understood. She understood and it disgusted her. Katia and the girl that had died before her had been Slayers and neither had probably known it. They were taking their blood and selling it to vampires on the black market. Slayer blood was the champagne, the vintage wine of the vampire scene. Now they could but it in a bottle. That was a cheery thought.

"For a price" Buffy showed all her disgust on her face.

He nodded "Of course. We're not gonna risk our lives for nothing, are we?"

"Vampires!" Katia cried, "Are you all crazy?"

The older man ignored her and looked straight at Buffy "Of course you are _the_ Slayer, Buffy. So we can charge more for your blood. Its power is pure. Every other Slayer's blood is slightly diluted of that power. We're very excited"

"I can see that" She looked down pointedly at his crotch.

He looked down then back up at her and laughed "Hey, I'm just a normal red-blooded man"

"No, you're really not" Buffy spoke low and dangerous "'Cos normal guys do not take girls hostage and drain them of blood. It's really considered kind of rude"

The two men looked at each other and then the older man with the briefcase put it down on the floor and then opened it up right about that time Katia began to whimper and Buffy knew it was time for pain. He pulled out two syringes one filled with something and one empty and then handed it to the younger, quieter man.

"So, how'd you find out I was in town?" Buffy asked keeping her eyes on those needles.

"We're all one big happy family in L.A" The gray haired man stood and dusted his hands "Word gets around. You're known throughout the world Buffy, you can't go anywhere or do anything without people like us knowing"

The Slayer rolled her eyes "Melodramatic. In other words someone from Wolfram and Hart tipped you off. I'm thinking you are one of their many valued customers who deals in the demon black market"

"I couldn't possibly say" He smiled and clutched his hands in front of himself.

Buffy watched as the younger man walked up to her cage and unlocked it with a set of keys he had clipped to his waistband. He walked in and then locked the door behind himself, turning around to face her his eyes held no emotion. The man brandished the empty syringe first.

"You two got names?" Buffy tried to move away but her feet didn't reach the ground properly.

"You can call me Mr. Gray" The older man smiled "And he is Mr. Black"

"Original" She snorted.

Mr. Black was moving toward her and she didn't want him anywhere near her. She grabbed her chains with her hands and jumped off the floor then swung towards him to smack her feet into his chest. Or at least that was her intention but he moved so fast she didn't have a chance.

"Oh, of course; vampire" Buffy groaned.

Mr. Black the _vampire_ was behind her and before she knew what had happened he had wrapped one arm around her legs and was crouching down on the floor so she was unable to move. Buffy really didn't like the idea of him being behind her that close to...naked private things. But it seemed sex was not on his mind just blood. Mr. Black stuck the needle into the back of her upper thigh and she winced trying unsuccessfully to shake him off. He was a powerful vampire and she wasn't at full strength. A few moments later he withdrew the needle and then stuck the second one into her leg and she felt liquid enter her body. _Crap_ was all she could think as her vision began to blur again.

Buffy was conscious for long enough to see Mr. Black withdraw from her cage with one empty syringe and one full of her blood. Then she saw nothing more.

Spike's eyes burst open "Buffy!" He yelled at the top of his lungs.

The vampire tried to sit up but found he was strapped down to a gurney by leather bindings he yelled and thrashed as he looked up at the white ceiling and pain throbbed in his head. Fred's face suddenly hovered over him and she was saying something to him over and over again and it took him a few minutes to hear it clearly enough to realize it was his name. He moved his head rapidly to both sides and saw the whole of Team Angel stood around him in one of their medical rooms.

"Let me bloody go!" He cried, "Get these things off me!"

Spike struggled and morphed back and forwards between vampire and human face. Fred placed a pack of ice on his head and it was such a shock to the system he shivered at the feeling of it but it felt good, nice. He calmed a little and lay still and then he remembered Buffy and went crazy again.

"Spike, you've been shot in the head" Wesley was saying, "You need to calm down. We haven't been able to establish if –"

"Buffy!" Spike said frantically his eyes bulging "You don't understand! They took her! They took her!"

Angel strode across the length of the floor and grabbed the front of Spike's T-shirt pulled him right up into his face and looked at him with eyes full of fire and promises of pain.

"Who took Buffy?" He growled.

"I don't know! There were these guys in...in a van and...they were..." Spike's brain was all muddled.

The other vampire shook him "They were what? What did they look like? What?"

"Angel!" Wesley looked at him sternly "Spike was shot in the head there's no telling what sort of damage that has done to his memory or –"

"Where is she?" Angel hissed spitting into Spike's face as he spoke.

"I don't...I can't..." Spike yet out a long, terrible scream as pain tore through his head and down his back.

Angel let go as Spike fell back against the gurney and began to thrash around. His eyes rolled back in his head and his screams ceased until all he did was go rigid and not make a sound. Fred looked wide-eyed at Wesley and the two of them tried to understand what was happening.

"Spike? Spike!" Fred called taking the vampire's face in her hands.

Angel turned on his heel and started to the door pulling his jacket on as he went.

"Yo, Angel!" Gunn called after him "Where you going?"

"Someone's got Buffy. I'm gonna find out who" He didn't look back.

Gunn followed him "I'm comin' with"

Fred turned to Wesley "Shall I get the supernatural medic in here?  
"I think it would be wise" He nodded.

Angel waked to the elevator and stepped in and Gunn came a second later. He pressed the button for the basement floor and then stood in the elevator and balled his fists. Gunn stood next to him and looked at him sideways not sure if speaking to him right now was a good idea so he didn't bother.

When they reached the basement they found Eve there in the records room she was chatting to the guy on the desk and being flirtatious as usual. Angel stormed up to her and just looked at her menacingly with Gunn at his back.

"Can I help you, boss?" Eve grinned but quirked an eyebrow as if she were being sincere.

"Where is Buffy?" Angel folded his arms.

She mock-frowned "Who?"

"Buffy"

"Buffy...Buffy...the Slayer? Well, I guess she's in Europe" Eve tilted her head "Right?"

Angel shook his head "Cut the crap, Eve. You know she's been here and I know you've had a surveillance team on her without my permission"

"And how would you know that?"

"Because that's the kind of scum you are," He said coldly.

Gunn stepped forward "You better tell him. Shame to get that pretty face messed up"

"That a threat?" Eve looked at him, amused.

He shook his head "I'm a lawyer, I don't make threats. I just advise"

"Well, I'm sorry, guys but you're wrong" She looked back at Angel "I wasn't even aware Miss. Summers had come to L.A"

"You are lying" Angel hissed "You expect me to think that you wouldn't notice a visit from a Slayer. There are mystical barriers all over this place and you didn't pick up on her?"

Eve shrugged "Maybe she's just not as powerful as you think she is"

It was then that Angel snapped and grabbed Eve by the neck shoving her down on the desk and pinning her there. Papers went flying everywhere and the man behind the desk jumped up and scurried out after excusing himself. Even as Angel's hand tightened around her throat the brunette smiled up at him although she was trying to inhale desperately.

Gunn put a hand on his shoulder "Ease up man. You don't want to kill her"

"Don't I?" Angel answered but didn't stop looking into the woman's eyes.

"No because she's human. More or less"

Angel let go of Eve's neck but continued to look down at her and she stayed down on the desk and looked up at him taking deep breaths, her chest rising and falling rapidly.

"Where is she, Eve?" Angel asked.

She sighed "Well, you're wrong actually we don't have a team watching her but..."

"But what?" His tone demanded an answer.

"But, we did have one on Spike. And, well, he was out with a blond beauty this evening, if I'm not mistaken" Eve looked at Angel and their was delight in her eyes, delight in hurting him.

Angel felt his jaw clench "Where is the tape?"

Ten minutes later Angel sat in his office with Fred, Gunn, Wesley and Lorne all sitting around on the couch's as he stood. The tape started and it showed Spike wandering around this morning, Angel fast-forwarded it past Spike's hug with Buffy in Fred's office and he felt his fist clench. He fast-forwarded it all the way until they saw Spike standing around outside of Wolfram and Hart at nighttime. They saw Buffy arrive and Gunn let out a whistle at her outfit. Angel shot him a look and the man shut up.

The group saw Spike and Buffy going into and coming out of various clubs but he fast-forwarded that until he saw them walking up a dark street. At first they were just talking but then they started arguing about it – they couldn't hear any sound but it looked pretty heated. Spike turned and stormed away and then Buffy started after him. That was when the large van tore around the corner and they watched Buffy fight and get drugged and pulled into the back of the van. They saw Spike jumping on the van and then getting shot and falling off. Angel rewound it and saw there were no license plates on the van and he wasn't surprised.

Still he sent Wesley off to check on the database for vans of that make in garages to see if they had tried to get the front window repaired. It was a long shot but all they really had.

Angel turned to Fred, Gunn and Lorne "Any ideas?"

"Trained commandos?" Lorne looked at Angel "Can't think were you could find some of those"

"It does kind of look like..." Fred trailed off.

"Wolfram and Hart" Angel spoke darkly.


	5. A bottle of 'House Buffy' anyone?

Spike looked up at the white ceiling and groaned he had woken five minutes ago being prodded and poked by a demon medic – it hadn't been pleasant and now there was no one in his room but him. The vampire strained against his bindings. The pain in his head was gone and he figured that was down to the medic and Wesley, he owed them a thanks.

Right now though his mind was on Buffy and just thinking about her made him strain even more and he sat up pushing with all his strength against the straps that held him across the chest, the waist and the legs, his arms were pinned to his sides. Using all his strength meant he vamped out but he got the job done and the binding around his chest tore so that he could sit completely upright. Then it was just a matter of pulling his hands free and unbuckling the other two bindings.

Spike jumped up off the gurney and landed on the floor he put his hand to his head and it didn't come back with blood. He picked up a shiny metal bedpan and looked at himself in it. There was no wound on his head anymore and he felt good. Ready to get the Slayer back. Somehow.

He grabbed up his duster and shirt that had been removed somewhere down the line and draped over a chair. He pulled the items of clothing on quickly and then left the room.

Spike made his way through Fred's lab and he got a few stares from her science people. He just ignored them and strolled quickly to the elevator. The vampire didn't doubt that Angel was already looking for Buffy but he would go about it using his connections with Wolfram and Hart. Having seen the eyes of the driver Spike was pretty sure that it was a demon and that his demon contacts may be able to help. He took the elevator down to below ground level and walked into Angel's car lot. All the shiny, new, expensive cars were there meaning that Angel had not left the building as he had suspected. Spike climbed into the silver Viper and hot-wired it. He turned and sped out of the car lot and up into the streets of Los Angeles.

Angel could do things his way.

Spike was gonna find Buffy his own way. As he turned sharply around a corner he thought about tonight the way he had just stormed off like a stupid git and left the Slayer to get outnumbered and attacked. _If_ he had run faster, _if_ he had never rowed with her, _if_ he had never tried to take her out...there were a lot of ifs and he couldn't change any of them.

The vampire turned the radio on and cranked it onto a heavy rock station because he couldn't listen to his own moronic thoughts anymore. None of this would help Buffy. He needed to concentrate of the job at hand. He put his foot down harder on the accelerator and turned a corner so sharply he skidded swiftly.

Spike pulled into a side road outside a small house that was pretty much rundown and looked like no one inhabited it. He knew better. He jumped out of the Viper and strolled down the path, knocked frantically at the door over and over until the little window slid open in the center of the door. A small, dark green-eyed face with blue skin peeked out.

"Spike" The little demon hissed "Nice to see you again, how can I –"

"Demon with red eyes that have small white pupils – what are they, where can I find 'em and how do I kill 'em?" Spike interrupted and then gritted his teeth.

The demon looked at him with those green eyes "I know not of any demons who –"

"Don't lie to me!" He pounded his fist on the door.

"There is no such demon!" The small window in the door was slid shut again.

Spike kicked and punched at the door and then he leaned his forehead against it and closed his eyes taking deep, useless breaths. He slammed his fists against the door one more time and then turned abruptly and walked back up the path. He climbed back into the Viper and peeled away from the curb putting pedal to the metal and tearing up the roads. He wasn't about to give up on her. Buffy was tough. Buffy wouldn't get hurt. Buffy was his.

****

When Buffy had awoken ten minutes earlier to find she was still naked, tied to the ceiling with her feet barely touching the floor in a cage she let out a groan of annoyance. She was half wishing it had all been a terrible dream and that she would be back in England snuggled in her bed in Giles' house. Alas, that was not so and she had a killer pain in her thigh that reminded her of the whole blood letting thing. Except that she didn't exactly _let_ them take her blood.

Katia was still knocked out and Buffy saw a fresh wound on the girl's neck. She had turned away and tried not to think about some vampires drinking a bottle of House Buffy. Instead she spent her time getting some swinging momentum going on her chain and then wrapping her feet around a bar on her cage, she yanked as hard as she could but the cage just rattled and did not give. So then she tried swinging again and then kicking the bars; this made it rattle even more but not enough. The vibrations reverberated up her legs and it shook her bones painfully. She wasn't about to give up just yet – that wasn't what being the Slayer was about. Buffy started swinging a little again and then built up the momentum again putting her legs up in the air and putting all of her weight on her wrists and hands clutching the chains. She looked like she was on some invisible swing and, god, did she wish that she was so that the manacles wouldn't be cutting into her wrists so much and making blood run in a tickling line down her arms. This time she slammed into the bars with all of her strength going into it and the cage door dislodge on its hinges a little. Buffy let out a cry of triumph but she was exhausted and needed to rest so she stopped swinging and gather her strength again.

What she needed to do now was figure out a way to snap the chains or break the hooks that were fixed into the ceiling to keep her upright. She knew that the chains were unbreakable so that was pretty much a no go but if she could pull the fixtures out of the ceiling then she would at least be free enough to knock the cage door off it's hinges. The chains would be heavy to drag along but she would manage just fine, anything was better then where she was now.

Buffy was pretty sure that Angel and Co would be looking for her by now but she couldn't be sure. There was no telling if they had even found out she was gone. Or cared. _Spike_. Spike had been running to help her – had he been hurt? Was he okay? She suddenly and irrationally started to pull on the chains as if her sheer desperation to see if he was okay was enough to break the bindings. She let out a grunt of frustration and then went limp in the chains, bowed her head, felt her blood running all the way down her arms from her cuts. This was useless.

The Slayer had no idea how long she had been sedated this time and for all she knew it had been days. She was alone now, Katia was still out and all she had was her own panic and stupid escape plans to think about. She ran through countless scenarios on how she would get out of here but none of them were even remotely plausible. One of them even involved the US Airforce crashing in through the ceiling and hovering over in a plane – soldiers would climb down, set her free and then whisk her up into the plane.

Buffy knew that if she stayed here for as long as Katia had been here she would be well and truly crazy.

The door to the room opened again after sounds of several locks being pulled back and Mr. Black stepped into the room this time unaccompanied. He now carried the black case and set it down on the floor. Buffy had closed her eyes and was pretending to still be out cold.

"I know you are awake. You made a lot of noise," Mr. Black said as he opened the case.

She opened her eyes "What's your deal, Black? I get that_ you_ might want a taste of me and the others but why sell it to other vamps?"

He stood with two new needles like last time one empty and one full "It's best if you don't fight it. I know it's in your nature but it'll hurt less if you just do not struggle"

Buffy watched him "Thanks for the advice but I think I'll just struggle anyway"

"Your choice" Mr. Black shrugged indifferently.

He pulled the door of the cage open and Buffy prayed he would not notice it was a little loose on his hinges but he didn't and she let out a breath of relief. He stepped inside and she kept her eyes on him as intently as he kept his eyes on hers.

"You're a vampire" She stated looking at him "Don't you ever feel just a little tempted to kill the girls you bring in here? It's in _your_ nature"

Mr. Black wasn't exactly a talker unlike his colleague Mr. Gray and he ignored he like a pro, which she found mildly annoying. Talk was the only weapon she had with her in this little slice of hell and he was taking that away as well.

"How long do the girls last? Prolonged blood loss without a lot of time to recover" Buffy tried to back away unsuccessfully "Must take a lot of effort to track down Slayers and catch 'em"

Again he was ignoring her and she had to lash out her legs at him just because she wouldn't let him just walk up to her and take her blood. Mr. Black tried to grab her leg but she was fast and the drugs had almost completely worn off. She caught him in the side of his head with one foot and he fell into the bars of the cage, stunned. He fell to the floor and hit his head against a bar dropping the needle full of tranquilizer. Buffy swung backwards and lashed out at him but Mr. Black rolled underneath her legs and jumped up behind her. As she swung backward he grabbed her around the waist tight so that she felt a couple of her ribs break.

Buffy winced but wouldn't show any pain "Vampires. Always with the grabbing"

Mr. Black continued to ignore her and stuck the needle into her neck. Buffy hissed and he withdrew her blood then let go of her and rolled back underneath her legs picking up the tranquilizer needle as he jumped back to his feet in front of her. There was blood running down her neck but she still tried to take another swipe at him. He retaliated by sticking the needle into he ankle and plunging the liquid into her.

Buffy fell back down and looked at him "You have got to be kidding me. Again?"

"It's nothing personal, Slayer" Mr. Black opened her cage door and stepped out locking it.

"Like hell it isn't" She sighed and tried to get rid of the feeling of having the vampire pressed up against her and breaking her ribs.

If breaking her ribs and stealing her blood was his idea of nothing personal she hated to think what he would be like with someone who had actually done something to him. She looked into those ice blue eyes as her eyelids started to get heavier and heavier. If they kept drugging her up like this she was in big trouble – she would have more tranquilizers in her blood stream then actual blood.

"I hope you know that when I get out of here I'm gonna kill you" Buffy managed to get out.

"I know" Mr. Black said quietly.

She closed her eyes.

****

Angel looked at Harmony with a stern and unyielding expression on his face as she tapped on the keyboard of her computer. The blond vampire kept glancing up nervously at her boss and his expression didn't change. She finally accessed the right files and looked up sighing in relief.

"Wolfram and Hart did not send any S.W.A.T teams out themselves, boss" Harmony informed.

He grunted "And what about loaning? Do they loan security to anybody?"

She looked back down on her computer for a few moments "Woah. Yeah. A _lot_ of people"

"Give me a list of people, companies that had any of our security teams last night" Angel demanded.

Harmony nodded and gave him a beaming smile before clicking a few times on the computer and then printing out a piece of paper from the printer which he grabbed up and then turned on his heel and left.

Gunn looked at Harmony "Run a check on Spike. He took Angel's Viper and hasn't been back – it's daylight he could be in trouble"

"Not that Angel would care," Harmony said then quickly added "Or me" Before doing, reluctantly, as he asked.

Angel took the elevator down to his car lot and walked over to the space where his Viper had once been, he growled at the thought of Spike stealing it _again_. He took the next car and swung out of the car lot fast. He was glad for the black tinted windows in the car that allowed him to drive around in sunlight and also, by default, allowed Spike to do so when he stole one of Angel's cars.

He looked down at the list and was a little surprised and relieved to see that there was only three names on the list. He looked at the address of the first one.

****

At the same time Spike was sitting in a side road in the Viper smoking and rubbing his head where he had once had a gunshot wound. This was getting him nowhere. No one he spoke to seemed to have heard of any demon's with red and white eyes – it was unheard of. He found that a little hard to believe considering the number of species of demons out there. Maybe the guy had been a one of a kind.

Still every time Spike replayed seeing those eyes in his mind he found them familiar as if he had seen them somewhere before and it had been recently. He slapped his head and cursed himself because if only he wasn't so thick he would know where he had seen those eyes before. Having a bullet lodged in his brain probably wasn't helping his memory either, the demon medic had assured him it would not be permanently damaging and that everything should be normal in a few hours. That had been almost twelve hours ago. It was mid-afternoon but the sunlight was still bright and he hadn't found a damn trace of his Slayer.

Spike turned on the car and pulled into the road driving around slowly and hoping it would come to him where he had seen those eyes before. Where? Where?

"Think, you idiot, _think_" He cursed to himself taking a hit from his cigarette and rounding a corner.

Buffy's life may depend on it.

****

Angel rushed to his car and jumped in shutting the door behind him and hissing as billows of smoke rose from him. He scowled and started the car up again. The first address had been a bust. They were obviously nothing to do with a plot to take Buffy.

Angel pulled his cell phone out and called Wesley to see if there had been any developments on the van. He assured him he was narrowing the search down but it could be a while. Angel hung up in anger and then pulled away from the car back up the road. He looked down at the second address. Time to move on.

****

Spike thought back on the night before with Buffy. It had started so well, she had looked amazing as usual and it reminded him of all he had been missing out on. She was right he didn't belong in Los Angeles, not if she wasn't there. He remembered the first club dancing with the Slayer was something he had not seen coming. It had felt so right to hold her in his arms and he had felt what he always felt when Buffy was close by – exhilaration, full of adrenaline and a little scared. Him dying had definitely not dampened his feeling for her. He was as much in love with her as he had been since he had first thought of her in that way, more so actually. Without a soul he had still been capable of loving her but with one he had been capable of loving her in a way that he had not been able to before. With a soul he understood her, the _human_ side of her a lot better than he had done before.

Then he chuckled to himself as he remembered them going to the second club where two stupid gits had tried it on with her and she had kicked them both in the balls. Spike had laughed even more when two members of staff came to ask Buffy if _she_ was all right. Spike laughed now at the memory and then stopped abruptly.

The two male members of staff had been wearing red contact lenses with white pinpricks!

They weren't demons they were just wearing contact lenses. He remembered now that the club had been a theme club and that they wore the contact lenses to look scary. It had been called _Blood Red_ and Buffy had rolled her eyes as he had taken her there. It was a mock-horror club and they had been involved in taking Buffy. It all made sense now. Clients of Wolfram and Hart must have owned the club and when the Slayer had turned up there they decided they wanted her for some reason. So they had used a Wolfram and Hart security team plus a member of staff to drive to kidnap Buffy as she came out of the club. What Spike found strange was why a nightclub needed a Slayer. However if they were clients of Wolfram and Hart then the owners weren't probably human or good.

Spike took a moment to remember where the club was and then did an abrupt one eighty and sped down the road in the opposite direction finally he was getting somewhere.

****

As Angel pulled up to the curb of the club _Blood Red_ his eyes widened as he saw Spike pull up at the exact same time next to him in his Viper. The other vampire didn't seem to notice him as he jumped out of the car in the searing sunlight and pulled his duster over his head running toward the entrance of the club. Angel growled and jumped out too pulling his own jacket over his head. He ran into Spike and knocked them both into the darkened alley next to the club where they were shielded from directed sunlight.

Spike was knocked to the floor and he whipped his head up to face him bearing fangs and hissing. He flipped himself up on to his feet and punched Angel. Angel staggered backward but caught Spike's fist as he tried to hit him again. He lifted his foot up and kicked Spike in the abdomen making him stumbled backward into the brick wall hard. The blond started to come at him again after a second.

Angel put his hands up "Spike! We're both here for the same thing – to help Buffy. As much as I don't want to admit this, we're stronger allied in this"

Spike stopped and morphed faces back to human "Screw that. She's in there and I'm goin' in!" He tried to storm past him but Angel shoved him back.

"Don't you understand? That club has heavy security and they aren't just gonna let us walk in there and take her, we have no idea what is inside those doors"

"A bloody night club you ninny!" Spike growled "And the reason they have so much sodding security is because _your_ law firm gave it to them. Just take the security team back and then I'll do the rest"

"Really not gonna happen, Spike" Angel narrowed his eyes "The easiest way to get in there insuring ours and Buffy's safety is to go in as an inside job. Kicking and punching will only get us so far before we get a pointy wooden thing shoved through our hearts"

The other vampire threw his hands up "Maybe you would but _I_ am not afraid of a few idiots in army gear. You want to wait around here and let them do god knows what to Buffy, fine but I wont be a part of it" Again he tried to get past him.

When Angel tried to stop him again Spike lay into him; he landed two swift hard punches to the vampires gut and then spun around with a roundhouse kick that knocked the dark-haired vampire to his knees. Once there Spike aimed a kick at his face but Angel deflected the blow and grabbed Spike's foot, pushed him backward on it and Spike ended up falling hard on his back. Angel leapt up and onto Spike punching him hard around the face. He stopped and grabbed him around the neck looking down into his vampire face with his own.

"Listen to me you stupid idiot, if we rush in there we are gonna get Buffy killed!" Angel hissed "We need a strategy. We need plans of the layout of the building. We need a plan"

"_You _need some balls!" Spike spat.

Angel grabbed his head and slammed it down against the pavement knocking him out sharply and painfully. He grunted and climbed off of Spike then grabbed him up and threw him over his shoulder. He carried the prone vampire to the Viper, which he liked better, and threw him in the back seat as the sun sizzled him. Angel shut the door and then jumped into the driver side shutting it behind him and hissing at the small burns he had gotten.

Angel looked at _Blood Red_ and thought about Buffy inside being held against her will, which wasn't an easy thing to do to any Slayer but especially her. For a moment he wanted to take the same approach as Spike and storm in her but he couldn't risk her like that. He would be no use to her as a pile of dust either so strategy was key. Still, a small animalistic, primal part of him wanted to rip those doors off their hinges and tear the place down whilst rescuing the girl. Not that Buffy ever needed rescuing.

Spike still lay knocked out cold in the back seat and Angel hesitated only a moment more before starting up the engine and reversing out of the place, he turned and drove back to base-camp. It was one of the hardest decisions he had ever made. Still, he was pretty sure Buffy would understand his reasoning...then again they had not seen eye to eye on most things lately. Angel tried not to think about it to hard because if he did he knew he would turn back there and end up doing something supremely stupid like trying to break in there and getting killed.

Buffy would get through this; she was the strongest person he knew both physically and emotionally. She may even break out herself not needing their help at all it wasn't like she hadn't surprised him like that before. She was constantly surprising him and that was part of what he loved about her. Even with her mad at him for accepting the Wolfram and Hart deal she was still beautiful and she was still perfect and she was still his, as far as he was concerned. So, she had gone out with Spike, so what? She had just found out he was back from the dead and he did help her save the world so, Angel kind of understood it...even if it was _Spike_ and he couldn't really comprehend the thing between William the Bloody and his Slayer. That's what she was; _his_.

So, yeah he was ninety-five percent sure Buffy would deal.

If he knew her as well as he knew he did then Buffy was in there right now about to come up with some master plan to kick ass and get the hell out of that place.

****

A/N: More to follow soon. This chapter is kind of bitty (from several different character perspectives) but I promise it should start to flow better soon. Keep the feedback coming I do love it so. Thanks to all the guys who've already reviewed – rubberband11 (you really ARE hooked) BeautifulAli, blondigirl and scruffybunny. Keep Reading.


	6. Secret Agent Spike to the Rescue!

__

Maybe, the Justice League of America will hear about this and swoop to the rescue...well; it was possible, wasn't it? Buffy groaned as she tried to open her eyes _Xander would be so proud_. She heard the sounds of small whimpers and when she regained enough actual consciousness she remembered everything and figured that Katia was awake and not loving where she was right now. Buffy knew the feeling. The Slayer blinked a few times and then tried to crane her neck to see the other Slayer but it made pain shoot up and down the neck, where Black had shoved the needle in no doubt. So, Buffy had to settle without looking at the girl as she spoke to her.

"Hey, Katia..." Her voice came out dry, croaky, she needed water "Katia, we're gonna make it through this. I'm stronger than I look...so are you"

"No, I'm not" She rasped back "If I was I would have gotten out of here by now"

"Just surviving as long as you have is a show of your strength"

Katia snorted weakly "Great...so, I'm strong enough to be their personal blood bag. Hooray for me"

Buffy looked at the door to her cage that was still slightly off of it's hinges, if she kicked it anymore now and someone came in then they were likely to see it and probably have it repaired and she couldn't have that. She figured one or two more good kicks ought to do it so instead she looked up at the fixtures that held the chains to the ceiling – they looked stuck in tight. She turned her gaze to the manacles around her wrists and wondered if they were made of the same strength metal as the chains were, Buffy was figuring they were because these guys didn't look stupid and they knew what they were dealing with when they brought Slayers here. However, she had to try and she tried to break them but, predictably, it didn't work.

The Slayer took a few deep breaths and started doing stretching exercises, or as much as she could do, with her legs and arms a little because she had to be limber to attempt what she was about to attempt. She certainly couldn't wait around for Angel to rescue her – it was no telling how long she had been in here already, it felt like weeks. Buffy took a few deep breaths and then started swinging back and forth building up speed.

"What are you doing?" Katia asked and she sounded a little alarmed.

Buffy didn't stop swinging "I'm just trying something don't worry"

The Slayer built it up until she was pretty sure she had enough force and then she swung all the way up like a Russian gymnast. She went vertical upside down in the air and her arms went rigid because they were supporting all her weight. Her hair fell down underneath her and she could see Katia's wide-eyed expression upside down, because she was now facing backwards, it looked kind of funny. Buffy's feet hit the ceiling and she planted them there and then slowly she kicked out at the chain fixtures. They were in damn tight. If she had shoes on it would have been easier but with her bare feet it was really painful. She slipped her big toe into the metal loop and attempted to pull it out, using all of her strength Buffy felt the fixture give a little but not enough and her toe was about to snap in half. The Slayer pulled it out with a frustrated groan. She wished that for once in her life she wore bobby pins so that she could have pulled them down from her hair dropped them, caught them in-between her toes and then swung up, wheedled the fixtures out of the ceiling painstakingly and then got the hell out of this hellhole. Yeah, _that_ would happen.

Buffy kicked at the fixtures a few more times and then sighed and swing back down a little too fast. She braced her legs out behind her so that her feet hit the back bars of the cage and thus broke a potentially nasty bruising of everything. The Slayer then steadied herself and took a lot of long deep breaths, her arms were screaming at her and she groaned.

"That was amazing, you're...you're like Super girl or something!" Katia exclaimed.

"Not amazing enough..." Buffy sighed and then frowned "I'm Super girl? Lame! You could have at least said, I don't know, Trinity or something...Listen, Katia, you're like me. You have this strength too and if you use it you may just help us both get outta here"

"I cannot do that" Katia said with surety "I mean I noticed that I can open the lids on jars a little easier and, yeah, I can almost hit the top on one of those fairground strength testers...but that's it"

She shook her head "No, that's not it. You just haven't realized your true potential"

The other girl groaned in pain "I feel pretty crappy"

"Yeah? So, do I" Buffy flexed her fists "But if we lacked the strength we have and were just 'normal' girls then we would be feeling a whole lot crapper. A 'normal' girl would have been dead from the amount of time you have spent in her but you're not normal, Katia, you're a Slayer"

"A Slay...wha?"

****

Spike folded his arms over his chest and squirmed as a bespectacled man tried to take his waist measurements. Angel and Fred stood around and both seemed a little amused at his attitude to the tailor

that was trying to get his measurements.

"It looks that way..." Wesley entered the room and then looked up at Angel he had been talking to one of his many contacts on a mobile phone then hung up. He looked worried "We think we know what Buffy's kidnappers wanted with her"

"What?" Angel asked taking a step up to him.

"Well, a demon contact of mine on the black market tells me that there is a rush in sales of a bottled liquid which is said to be Slayer's blood. It seems that the local, and not so local, vampire population is going crazy for it. It is very expensive and so it is the most powerful vampires that are getting their hands on it" Wesley finished looking even more worried.

"That's not good" Fred's eyes darted about.

"We've gotta go now!" Spike looked around "They're draining Buffy dry"

"Hold on, Spike" Angel put a hand up "If they're taking her blood there is no way they would kill her – why bother when they could keep her alive and get a constant supply?"

Spike's eyes widened "You think she'd just let them take her blood? You're a bloody moron! The Slayer would rather die then provide vampires with their equivalent of a nice bottle of port!"

"They're sedating her," Angel reasoned "Like when they shot her with a tranq dart in the street. That's how they're doing it"

Fred cleared her throat "I don't wanna sound rude but there is a way we could use this to our advantage in getting Buffy out of there"

"And how do you figure that?" Spike gritted his teeth.

"Well, we were gonna send you in as a representative of Wolfram and Hart just doing routine checks but now we can send you in as a client of Wolfram and Hart's – a powerful vampire client who would just love to get his hands on some –"

"Slayers blood" Wesley nodded "That's a good idea, Fred. It's more likely to work also they won't be suspicious. They will assume that we're bringing business their way"

Angel shook his head "Why wouldn't he just buy it off the black market like everyone else?"

"He is very picky and wants to see the actual Slayers, get the blood fresh" Wesley had it all worked out.

Angel took a moment "I still think _I _should do this"

"They'll recognize you as the boss of Wolfram and Hart. We were sending Spike in before because the boss would not be doing 'just routine checks' but now we can't send you in because they know who you are" Fred looked at him apologetically "But you still have a big part to play, Angel, remember?"

"Right" He sulked.

"This isn't gonna bloody work," Spike snorted and looked at Angel "I say we go in there and throw down"

"_That _won't work" Angel replied.

"He's right, Spike. We looked over the club and it has a _lot _of security not to mention it turns out that the underground of the club it built like a high-tech prison – which is most likely where Buffy is, so it would be stupid to just charge in there" Fred nodded.

"Told you that you're stupid" Angel said childishly.

"It's your sodding security! Recall all your guys" Spike pointed out.

Angel sighed "If we do that they'll get suspicious and run, taking Buffy with them or worse..."

Spike let out a sound of protest as the tailor tried to take his inside leg measurement "Oi! Hey, back off, mate" He growled and shook his leg away.

The tailor sighed and stood up, nodded at Angel and then went to busy himself. Spike loosened up and then began to pace back and forth as he had been doing since he had woken up finding himself back in Wolfram and Hart and not with Buffy safe at his side. The vampire had cursed Angel and tried to kill him but hadn't gotten very far.

Spike cleared his throat "They'll recognize me as well, Fred. I got shot in the head by their bloody wanker of a getaway driver"

"That's why we're making changes to your appearance. You and Angel are the only vampires strong enough to do this op...unless you wanna send Harmony in?" The brunette quirked an eyebrow.

He ignored that and pulled his duster on "I was just pointing it out. Can we go now?"

"It's still light for another two hours Spike," Wesley pointed out.

"And?" He shrugged.

"And you're playing the part of a powerful and rich vampire. Who would only come out at night and not run around burning in the sun"

Spike sighed and started to pace again "I just wanna get her out of the bleeding place!"

"We all do" Angel said.

"Besides, Spike, we still have some work to do to make _sure_ they don't recognize you" Fred started walking towards him a gleam in her eyes.

"What? I don't think so, luv..." The vampire started to back away "Fred?"

"Lorne!" Fred yelled.

The green demon popped his head around the door "You rang, sweetener?"

"We're giving Spike a makeover" She smiled.

"I'll get my make-up kit!" Lorne announced.

Spike shook his head rapidly "Oh no you won't! No way, no how..."

****

Spike grumbled and groaned to himself as he made his way to the side entrance of _Blood_ _Red_. Fred, Wesley and Gunn all sat in a van across the street watching him and he continued to muttered obscenities before he knocked loudly on the door. He reached up and straightened the tie around his neck, god, he hated suits. Spike ran a hand self-consciously over his hair and then cleared his throat and stood still and calm as the door was yanked open suddenly.

On the other side of the door stood a man who was in his late forties/early fifties with dark blue eyes that skated over Spike quickly and then landed on his eyes. The man gave a very large, very cheerful smile and stuck his hand out for Spike to shake but all the vampire wanted to do was punch those pearly white teeth out. The man's gray hair was cut short and neat and he looked as though he shaved every day and he wore a navy suit with white shirt and black tie.

"Mr. William Soulman I presume?" The man's hand was still out.

Spike winced at the name inside his head _Angelus always did think he was so very funny, but he's bloody not _He brushed past the man into the building, looked down at the Rolex on his wrist "I'm a busy vampire..."

"James Hardy"

"I'm a busy vampire Mr. Hardy." Spike looked at him, eyebrow quirked "And I want to be in and out of here as quickly as possible, I have a lot to do tonight. I like to spend my nights to the full, since they are my only time out...amongst people" He looked suggestively at Hardy's neck.

Hardy nodded and his hand unwittingly flittered up to his neck, rubbing it "Yes, of course sir. I understand why a man like yourself would not want to purchase our merchandise from the market, I shall have someone bring you a fresh bottle –"

Spike waved a dismissive hand "You misunderstand, Hardy. Wolfram and Hart ensured me that I could see the specimens and that I could get it hot from the tap, if you get my meaning"

He cleared his throat "Well, it's not policy"

"How else will I know if it truly is the blood of a Slayer and not some normal human dregs blood that you've spiced up with some simple spell or trickery?" Spike held his briefcase tight in his hand wanting to slam it into the man's face.

"I can assure you, sir, that –"

"I will only drink from a Slayer, once I know it _is_ a Slayer," Spike tilted his head up "The only assurance of that is to see the proof myself. I was told this should not be a problem but if it is I shall take my business and my money elsewhere" He started back to the door.

"No!" Hardy grabbed Spike's arm then when Spike bared his teeth he pulled it back "I'm sorry, Mr. Soulman. I'm sure that can be arranged"

"Glad to here it" Spike nodded.

"Follow me"

As he followed the man down a walkway above the main body of the club and loud dance music blared up from the speakers, people dancing down below and drinks being served Spike's anticipation of getting Buffy the hell out of here got larger. He looked up and saw that the whole ceiling of the club was a large skylight and he could see the night sky shining at him. He could feel his fingers tightened on the handle of the heavy briefcase he carried and tingles run up them.

Hardy led him from the walkway to a locked door, which he got the keys for from the loop on his belt. He undid it and then ushered Spike through locking the door behind them. They stood in a darkened space and even the vampire could see nothing just as he was beginning to think it was a set up Hardy switched the light on and it lit up the whole white corridor. Hardy walked down it and Spike followed seeing a flight of stairs in front. They went down the dozen or so steps until they reached another lock door and Spike felt like ripping the doors of their hinges. Hardy retrieved the large number of keys from his belt loop again and then opened this door and shut it behind them.

Spike couldn't believe it when he saw more and more stairs. They spent a long time going down on flight of steps and then through a locked door to another set up stairs to another locked door that Spike began to wonder if where they were holding Buffy was Hell itself – surely the club didn't go this far down. He hoped that the small microphone inside his shirt and the tracer on his belt were still working for the gang outside.

Finally they came to one long corridor and Spike saw that there was a door to the left in the middle of the corridor with a man, or actually a vampire, with dark black hair and blue eyes in a suit standing outside. The vampires turned and looked a little startled to see that Hardy was with someone he didn't recognize. He stepped forward and readied himself for a fight until Hardy put a hand up.

"It's fine," Hardy said "This is a very important customer of ours and I'm going to show him our guests"

Spike's jaw tightened.

****

"...I still can't believe it" Katia sighed after a few minutes in silence. They had been talking for so long that both girl's mouths were dry "I'm a...Slayer"

Buffy nodded "Hey, Katia, I'm gonna try to get out of these chains again, 'kay?"

There was no answer but she hadn't really expected one – the girl was in shock a little. Buffy started to swing back and forth, back and forth. She hadn't been sedated for at least three hours and she was feeling better for it. She did her whole gymnast flip again and planted her feet on the ceiling. Taking a few deep breaths she kicked and kicked at the fixtures on the ceiling. Buffy was giving it all of her effort now – she wanted to get out of here _now_. The Slayer kicked and kicked and kicked until she went into frenzy and she entered the part of herself that was all Slayer and no Buffy.

When the fixture for the chains on her left arm dislodged a little she barely noticed and continued to kick and kick until it was almost completely out. She started kicking the right one and it shook a little and then she fell back down and braced herself against the back of the cage like she had done before. Buffy took a long while to gather her breath and let her muscles loosen before she pulled down with all her weight on her left arm and, to her amazement and delight the chain fell loose from the wonky fixture and the ceiling and clanged down onto the floor beside her.

"You broke one! You broke one!" Katia cried in shock and glee.

"Shh!" Buffy warned her but she too was overjoyed, she grabbed her right chain with her free hand that was still weighed down with the loose chain. She flexed her arm and then yanked down tight on the other chain it took a lot more effort and she strained until she snapped that one out of the ceiling too. Buffy fell to the floor of the cell and let out long, deep breaths and just lay there and resting for a little while.

"Get us outta here" Katia whispered but there was an edge of excitement to her voice.

"Oh, right, _that_ little thing" Buffy pulled herself up onto all fours and then stood shaking all her muscles trembling and telling her to lie down but she was a Slayer and that was not an option right now.

She gripped the bars of the door on her cage and pulled but most of the fight had gone out of her at that moment. She was weak and sank to her knees, was about to give up when she heard voices outside her cell and realized that someone was coming and Buffy looked around wondering what the hell she was going to do. She stood up and threw her chains up one at a time and curled them around the broken fixture parts that were left in the ceiling. She hoped no one noticed before she had chance to kill them or knock them out. Buffy braced herself and stood up on her tiptoes to make it look like she was still chained up and straining.

The heavy locks on the door were drawn back and the door creaked open and in stepped Mr. Gray with that charming smile of his as they landed on her.

"As you can see," Mr. Gray was saying but not to her "They are quite...satisfactory"

Buffy's eyes widened as another man stepped in the room and he looked familiar but also...not. She looked into those light blue eyes that skated over her widening a little, presumably at her nudity and knew it was him, it was Spike. His hair was light brown though and curled softly against his forehead, his hair brushed forward now and not backward. He also wore a suit! It was a black suit with a deep red shirt and a red tie with black shiny loafers. The vampire looked fine, even in her tortured, aching state she could see that and she felt herself react to it. Spike recovered and looked into her eyes and she figured this was all part of some covert plan so she looked away. Mr. Gray locked the door behind them.

"Yeah, I'd say they were more than satisfactory," Spike said and his tone was easy but his fists were clenched at his sides "I'd like a taste from that one, there" He pointed at Buffy.

"Of course" Mr. Gray nodded and walked over to Buffy's cage starting to unlock the door "Be careful though, she's a whippersnapper –"

He pulled the cage door open and Buffy jumped down and unwound her chains lashing them out so fast he didn't have a chance. The chains wrapped around Mr. Gray's neck and his eyes bulged as he clamored with his fingers at the chains. Spike pulled a gun from inside his suit jacket and shot Mr. Gray in the back. He fell to the floor and Buffy saw a small dart sticking out of his back.

"See how you like it" Buffy smiled and then all the energy ran out of her and she fell to the floor.

Spike rushed over and laid a cold hand against her back, making a shiver travel up her spine. Buffy looked up and whispered for him to help Katia, the other girl. He pulled his jacket off and laid it over her before leaving her cage and snapping open his briefcase. Spike pulled out a pair of large pliers and made his way over to Katia's cage. Buffy groaned and picked herself up slipping Spike's jacket over her and doing the buttons up it just came to mid-thigh but she didn't much care about that she only cared about getting out of there. The Slayer knelt down next to Mr. Gray and felt around his waist until she got his keys, which she unclipped. As she stood back up she saw Spike helping Katia out of her cage too by supporting her – Katia now wore Spike's shirt done up to the top and Spike was half naked. "Thanks for the rescue" Buffy smiled, leaning against the cage.

She came up next to him and he smiled back "No problem, it's my pleasure. Looks like you were about to hatch your own plan anyway"

"Well, I had the getting out of the cage part just about sussed but everything after that..." Buffy felt her head swim and she almost fell again but Spike steadied her with his other arm.

"We have to get out of here!" Katia cried.

"Shh!" Spike rolled his eyes then clipped the chains around Buffy's wrists with the pliers before he pulled out the tiny microphone that was cello taped to his chest and spoke into it "We're on our way out"

Buffy stood up straight again, rubbing her now free wrists and raised her eyebrows "Never had you down for a secret agent"

He shrugged then looked at her, concerned "Are you –"

"Get me outta here, Spike, and I'll answer that"

The vampire nodded and then he passed Katia over to Buffy and the two girls supported each other, Katia slightly worse off. He took the keys from Buffy and unlocked the large wooden door; Spike stuck his head out.

"You might wanna get in here! Your pal's collapsed" Spike yelled and then stepped back in.

Mr. Black ran into the room and as he did Spike clubbed him double fisted on the back of the head. The vampire fell forward into the bars of the cage where he hit his head on one of the bars hard. Spike pulled a stake out of his waistband.

Buffy held her hand out "He's mine"

He looked at her for a moment and then tossed the stake. As he lay sprawled out on the floor and then started to rise up she sunk down and stabbed him through the back into the heart. His eyes didn't even look surprised.

"Told you" Buffy whispered before he exploded into a shower of dust.

Spike dragged Mr. Gray into the cage Buffy had been in and locked the door he kicked away all possible weapons and then looked around, nodded.

"Let's get you two out of this pig sty" Spike walked over to the door and held it open for the two women.

They hobbled out and then they were making their way quickly down the corridors and after a while Spike got fed up of unlocking the doors and instead started kicking them down. Buffy watched from behind as he back muscles ripped and the tendons in his thighs tensed when he booted the doors. She wanted to help more but she was weak and she needed to help Katia, who was far worse, along anyway. As they got closer and further up Buffy heard music and she looked at Spike questioningly who quickly explained that they were in _Blood Red _a club. They met a few more acolytes on their way up but Spike dispatched of them pretty easily and Buffy helped where she could.

However they were human so he didn't kill them and as they were almost to the top level Buffy heard one of the guards they had left sprawled out on the floor with a broken leg using a radio to tell people in the club to lock down all the exits.

"Spike!" Buffy motioned to the man using the radio.

Th vampire gave her a wicked grin "Not a problem, luv"

She frowned but followed as he picked up the pace until she was almost dragging Katia who was trying as best she could to walk but it was like she had forgotten how after being chained up for so long. Spike kicked down one last door and it flew open onto the top level of the club and he strode out and elbowed a guard who had just been approaching. Buffy stepped out with Katia and saw the people down below in the club start to get panicked as the doors were all slammed shut and the music hit fever-pitch she could not see a way out.

"We're in position!" Spike yelled into his microphone over the sound of the screams from down below.

Suddenly Buffy, and everyone else in the club, heard a loud and almost deafening sound from above and she turned just in time for the glass skylight to shatter above them. Buffy ducked and shielded Katia whilst Spike flung himself against Buffy to protect her. Once the glass had finished falling and _everyone _in the club was screaming in alarm and pointing upward Buffy looked up too as the cold night air streamed through the ceiling.

There hovering above the club was a black shiny helicopter and leaning out of that helicopter was a certain vampire with a soul that had been her first love. He held his hand out to her and then turned back into the helicopter. Angel came back out and threw a rope ladder out of the helicopter and to them.

Spike grabbed the ladder and then turned to Buffy "Grab this, go!"

"Katia first" Buffy demanded as she saw more guards running up the stairs towards them.

The girl was weak and she had to use all of her remaining strength to hold on but she could not climb and Angel had to lift the long ladder up manually which meant they lost precious seconds. Three guards ran at Buffy and Spike down the runway and Spike pulled out his tranquilizer gun from his waistband and shot them all then tossed the gun away, obviously it was empty.

The ladder was thrown down again

"Buffy go!" He handed her the rope.

"You're coming with me!" She yelled back over the sound of the helicopter as her hair whipped about her face.

Spike shook his head "I've got to keep these guys back, there's more of them. You better move, Buffy, I'll handle them"

"I've heard that before, Spike" She looked deep into his eyes "Last time you said that you died. You are coming with me now!"

"I have to –"

"Now is not the time for heroics" Buffy grabbed his arm and pushed him against the ladder "Besides, I'm weak I need you to help me"

Spike looked disbelieving but as she grabbed onto the ladder and climbed a little way up he grabbed hold of it too and covered her body with his so that if she did lean back she would fall into him and not to her death. There were guards rushing at them now and Spike shouted up at the helicopter, which quickly zoomed up and pulled them out of the reach of the guards and then out of the club. They were whizzed up above the city of Los Angeles and Buffy held on not wanting to look down but wanting to at the same time to see the city's glittering lights.

The vampire pressed against her whispered in her ear "I was so worried 'bout you. I would have come sooner by myself and –"

"And gotten killed" Buffy answered, closing her eyes and enjoying the feeling of having a welcome, familiar body next to hers "It's okay, Spike. I'm...Katia's a Slayer too and we need to train...we need..."

"You rest now, luv," His voice stroked down her spine "You're safe with me"

Buffy smiled and closed her eyes, willingly this time.


	7. Recuperation and Reconciliation

Fred looked through the window to the small side room and smiled as she watched the vampire sitting by the Slayer's bedside. They had given Buffy and Katia separate rooms to recuperate that were part of the lab and were specifically designed for people needing rest and relaxation. It was like a mini-hospital. Buffy was asleep again and she had been drifting in and out for the past three days, Katia the other Slayer had not yet awoken but her blood sugar level and a lot of other stuff was much more serious than Buffy's.

Wesley suddenly came up to the side of her "We have shut them down"

"_Blood Red_?" Fred glanced at him then back in the room.

He looked through the window too and nodded "Yes and we have James Hardy in prison already thanks to Gunn. We cleaned out all traces of the Slayer prison and we are arranging to give the property to charity, or rather, Angel is"

"That's good" Fred smiled a little and then sighed "Isn't he gonna come down and see Buffy?"

Wesley shrugged "He has been down here a few times but she's always been resting. Angel is very busy, he still has Wolfram and Hart to run and because of losing the money coming from Hardy and _Blood_ _Red_ the senior partners aren't best pleased, not that he cares. He has even sent out agents to make sure their are no more Slayers being used in this way by any of his clients..."

"He's doing checks on everybody?"

"Yes"

"They won't be pleased about that" Fred noted.

Wesley quirked an eyebrow and looked at that "I don't really think Angel minds ruffling evil clients feathers, do you? Keeping them on their toes"

Fred nodded and watched as Spike took Buffy's hand and stroked the back of it with his thumb as the Slayer slept peacefully in the hospital-like bed, she wore an open-backed gown "Spike's been in there with her every day and night, he hasn't moved I don't think"

"_He_ hasn't got the weight of the company on his shoulders," Wesley commented looking into the room deeply "Angel and Buffy have a deeper history than any of us can comprehend. If he could be here with her as Spike is then he would. He has other responsibilities right now"

"I know it's just...Spike seems so devoted to her..." Fred looked down at the floor.

"Yes, I suppose he does, I had heard about their relationship, obviously, but I hadn't seen it with my own eyes until now..." Wesley spoke low "I see things there I never thought I'd see in the eyes of William the Bloody and my one time Slayer when they look at each other. It is quite interesting to see...I suppose when you fall for a Slayer you fall hard"

She nodded still looking down "I guess"

He looked at her, concerned "Are you upset about something, Fred? Is it...do you worry that Spike will go back with her? Is that why you're so down?"

Fred looked up and shook her head "Oh, no. If Spike wants to go –"

"Fred" Wesley looked into her eyes.

"Okay, yeah, maybe," She sighed "I mean, I kind of warmed to the guy. It will feel a little strange to have him not being here pestering me all the time"

Wesley smiled and put an arm around her shoulders "I understand. Come on, let's give them some privacy"

The two walked together away from the room.

Inside the room Spike sat up straighter and leaned forward as Buffy's eyelids fluttered open. Her blue/green eyes were unfocused until she blinked a few times and looked up at the ceiling. She frowned and ticked her eyes to the side, saw him and relaxed, smiled a little. Her blond hair lay limp around her head and her lips had regained a lot of the colour that they had lost. Buffy grunted and tried to pull herself up on her elbows, Spike helped her to sit up by pulling the top of the bed into a sitting position.

Spike smiled back at her and scooted closer on his chair pulled her hand up and brushed his lips against her knuckles.

"What's the story mornin' glory?" He whispered.

Buffy raised her eyebrows "I don't really feel like a morning glory" She rasped and then grinned, it was a little strained.

"Well, you always will be" Spike smiled back and then looked over at her bedside table and grabbed up a pad of paper "Got a call from Dawn when you were asleep but I took a message 'Hey, sis, heard you got into trouble again! Setting foot in America seems to do that to you not to mention being around the two hot vampire studs...just relax and get better 'cos we want you back. Hey, can you believe I'm speaking to Spike on the phone? Wow. Bye' I swear to god that's what she said"

Buffy laughed a little "I can believe it"

"Two vampire studs...well, I know that I'm included in that because it's obvious but I can't think who the other one is, can you, luv?" Spike looked around.

"I wonder," Buffy quirked an eyebrow "Speaking of...have you seen him lately?"

"You mean has he been down? Yeah, the big poof stopped by last night but you were out cold, not since though. He's too busy running an evil law firm or something I think he said" Spike shrugged.

She nodded "I decided during my little break away, hanging from a ceiling, that I have got to trust Angel. If he says he knows what he is doing then he knows what he is doing. If he says Wolfram and Hart can eventually be turned around to do real good, then I guess I believe him. Angel is a good man and a champion and though I might not agree with what he is doing I'm going to support him in it. He deserves to be trusted, and so that's what I'm gonna do"

Spike paused "Any particular reason you're giving this little inspirational talk to me and not the hot vampire stud upstairs?"

She shrugged, eyes looking up "Well, 'cos he isn't here and I can't get up there and because...well, it's been a while since I got to practice my rousing speeches on anyone. You know, with the lack of apocalypses going around no one back home is listening to my sermons on the importance of oral hygiene and not changing the channel when someone is watching something"

Spike chuckled "Well, I for one miss them"

"Really?" She looked at him with hope in her eyes.

"Christ, no!" He grinned "I just spent most of my time standing there and praying for damnation rather then one more of your bloody speeches!"

Buffy gave him a look "That could be arranged, Spike"

He put his hand up and raised his eyebrows and she held the look a second longer before they both laughed together as only old friends, and lovers, can.

"Come back with me," She said abruptly.

Spike stopped laughing, looked at her "Are you serious?"

"I sound like I am, don't I?" Buffy tilted her head "You don't have to stay but you could just come back and see the gang...Dawn, especially"

He scratched the back of his head "Me and niblet never really got back on track after I came back with a soul. She changed and so did I"

"She's still glad you're alive"

"As alive as I can be" Spike corrected her then shrugged "I suppose I could go back to Blighty for a little while, been a long time since I been there. Small problem, though"

"What?"

"I'm a vampire, luv, I can't exactly get on a plane and stroll in through the airport" He pointed out.

"I could help with that," Angel stood in the doorway of the room, hands clasped in front of himself and a blank expression on his face he looked at Buffy "You're awake"

"Yep" She nodded giving him a brief smile "I never got to thank you for the whole air lifting me out of the club thing, so thanks. It was very Riley Finn"

"I'm not sure that's a compliment" Angel replied.

Spike smirked "As far as I'm concerned it isn't"

"Would you two leave Riley alone? He's a good guy," Buffy said defiantly.

The two vampires mumbled under their breaths.

"Fred tells me you're on the mend," Angel said after a moment "Should be up and about by tomorrow, the day after at the latest. Katia may take a little over a week more though. She had it a lot harder"

Buffy nodded then frowned "What am I gonna do about Katia? I can't just go home and leave her here with no one to teach her and train her about being a Slayer"

"I think I can handle that, I do have experience with Slayers," Angel said suggestively as he looked at the Slayer in bed.

Buffy didn't even blush "I would appreciate it. I'll send some people to pick her up in a few days"

"We'll get her through this"

Buffy looked over at Spike "Hey, when did you change your hair back?"

Spike ran a hand unconsciously over his peroxide locks "A few hours ago when you were asleep. I couldn't stand it"

"I think it kind of suited you" Angel commented.

The Slayer and the vampire looked at him both with raised eyebrows.

"Well, anything's better than glow in the dark" Angel snorted, embarrassed.

Buffy grinned "You two really haven't gotten any closer, huh?"

"You just realized that, luv?" Spike asked rhetorically.

"Spike...I need to talk to Angel alone" She said looking at him.

Spike looked back at her a moment before he stood and grabbed up his duster. He turned and walked to the door passing Angel and leaving. Angel shut the door and then walked over to where Buffy lay in the bed. He did not sit but remained standing and looking down at her.

"I get it now, Angel," Buffy said "I get what you're trying to do here. I might not understand, exactly, but if you say you have a plan then I support you in that. We've been through too much to let this divide us"

The dark vampire nodded "I agree"

"I don't want to lose you as an ally, you're too valuable to me" She said softly.

"Then you won't lose me" He sank down into the seat and reached over, took her hand "I'm always gonna be here for you to use me as you need to"

She nodded "I want you to feel the same about me. Ever need help, you know how to contact me and I'll come a-running"

"I already knew that but it's good to hear it again" He smiled.

Buffy smiled back "So, we're still good?"

"We're still good" Angel nodded "In every way"

The Slayer looked down then back up to meet his eyes "Angel, I'm sorry I never came here to say goodbye before I left for England"

"It's fine, I understood, Buffy," He nodded "I was just glad to hear from you that you were okay. I saw your handy work on the news too, the whole of Sunnydale just gone – made the national. People were trying to explain it, they still are. You got rid of the Hellmouth, Buffy, you deserve to move on in your life"

"There's another one in Cleveland" She replied stoically.

"And the Bermuda Triangle, if rumors are true" He said just as stoically.

"Damn," Buffy said then smiled a little.

Angel smiled back then returned to being serious "You want Spike to go back with you"

She shifted "Just for a little while, he can come back if he wants"

"You think he'd really want to come back here?" Angel arched an eyebrow.

"Maybe he likes you more than he's letting on" Buffy said then off his look added "Or maybe he just enjoys pissing you off"

"That's more likely"

"You said you could help? When you came in and Spike was saying he wouldn't be able to get a plane"

He nodded "I could have the private plane take you both"

Buffy's eyebrows raised "Private plane? How rich is this place? Second thought, don't answer that. I really don't want to know"

"It's got blacked out windows that provide shielding from the suns rays" Angel looked at her.

She paused "You'd lend Spike the use of your plane?"

"If it's what you want"

"Thankyou"

Angel nodded and stood to leave but Buffy held onto his hand and pulled him back down. She placed her hand on the side of his face and kissed him softly on the lips. They both pulled away but kept their eyes closed for a moment before they opened them and looked at each other simultaneously.

The vampire's gaze lingered on her for a few seconds more before he stepped away and then turned on his heel and left. Buffy sighed and then looked up as she felt a presence there. It was Spike. He was leaning against the doorway and if he had seen what had happened between Angel and her he did not seem angry about it. She watched as he lifted his arm up and in his hand was a polystyrene cup.

"Hot chocolate?" Spike asked, tilting his head.

Buffy smiled slowly "How'd you know?"

He grinned.

****

A/N: Kind of a short chapter this time but only 'cos the next one has a change of location – exciting, ain't it? Cheers to everyone for the feedback and keep it coming. There is going to be a lot more SPUFFY in the following chapters. So, let's all look forward to that. Spike and Buffy sitting in a tree...ahem, sorry. :)


	8. Good ol' Blighty

__

Westbury, England

Spike stepped out of the black cab and pulled his cigarettes out of the pocket in his leather duster. He lit one and took a long puff of it nervously. It was a gloomy afternoon, but then most in England were, and it was bucketing down with rain. An advantage of the dark and dank weather was that it made it possible for him travel around much earlier than in sunny California without fear of being burnt to a cinder by the suns rays. He was looking up at the large and almost stately looking house of Rupert Giles when Buffy got out of the cab behind him and stepped up to the side of him.

The Slayer was all but healed now and she looked as beautiful as she always had. Her long blond hair was pulled back in a French braid and she wore a dark brown leather jacket that reached her thighs, it was done up tight to fend off the rain but the water had never bothered Spike. Buffy pulled out a small bag full of her belongings and then she went around to pay the driver.

The house in front of them had only two floors but it was wide and there was a slightly 'public school' theme about it. There were lights coming through the large windows and snaking vines were crawling up the front of the house and nearly engulfing the entire red brick wall. The place was just _so_ British. A large path led up to the house with a front garden big enough for a kiddy's playground to be built on. Spike could see off to the side that behind the house there were several acres of grassy fields and huge oak trees. Completely unspoiled country land was hard to come by now but somehow Giles had managed to procure himself some. He noticed that there were two figures on horses racing around outside down those fields and coming closer because from here they just looked like small dots. The rain didn't seem to bother them it seemed.

Spike pointed at the distant figures to Buffy and she grinned and motioned for him to follow her as she walked around the house across the lawn and into the huge back fields. Spike grunted and took another puff of his cigarette but followed anyway and the two of them ended up underneath a large oak tree for shelter as the two horse riders got closer. As they did Spike noticed with astonishment that the one racing in front of the other was Dawn, her long brown hair flying around her as she grinned and the figure on the second horse trying to catch up was Giles. Buffy waved her arm at them to get their attention and as she did Dawn nearly bucked her horse as she noticed who was with her sister. Dawn pulled the reins and turned the large brown horse abruptly to gallop in the direction of the couple. She ground to a halt in front of Spike and Buffy and her eyes had lit up.

"Spike!" She shrieked with girlish enthusiasm.

"Alright, Little Bit" He grinned back and dropped the cigarette to the ground, stomping it out.

Dawn turned and climbed swiftly off her horse jumping to the ground and running to him. She jumped into him and he staggered backward in the brunette's overjoyed hug. Spike looked over Dawn's shoulder at Buffy and raised his eyebrows she just smiled. Spike curled one arm around the teenage girl. After a few moments she pulled back.

"It's so good to see you" Dawn gushed then paused, regained some composure and socked him in the arm hard "You didn't tell us you coward!"

Spike rubbed his arm "Ow! Hey! Christ, Niblet, you get more like big sis every time I see you"

Dawn tilted her head, her hair dropping down like a curtain and smiled wryly "That mean you're gonna fall in love with me too?"

The vampire raised eyebrows and Buffy just laughed and so did Dawn. Giles pulled up next to them finally and took a big gulp of air before resting on his horse and recovering, his hair plastered to his head. He let out long, deep breaths that came out icy and looked up with his glasses fogged.

"Buffy, you're back" Giles said then let his eyes tick to Spike "And you brought company. Spike"

"Rupert" Spike nodded back at him.

Buffy folded her arms "I see Dawn beat you again"

"Yes, well, she's a natural..."

"You look bloody exhausted" Spike commented "How long did it take her to learn how to ride?"

Giles coughed and readjusted his glasses "Well, um, more or less..."

"Two weeks" Dawn piped up smiling.

"And how long have you been riding?" Spike asked Giles.

"Well, only about...fifteen years" He hung his head in defeat.

Spike smirked and couldn't believe the strange feeling welling up in his chest just from seeing these people again after he had thought he never would again. Giles and he had never been close but it still felt good to see the old man hadn't changed and Dawn was a determined, stubborn and opinionated as ever – she really was turning into Buffy, which wasn't a bad thing.

Dawn was saying something to him but he didn't hear it he was too busy just looking at her, looking at Giles and looking at the English countryside around him.

"Can we get out of the rain? You know it does havoc with my hair" Buffy grinned and turned on her heel.

"I'll take the horses back" Giles said and grabbed the rein on Dawn's horse using his own horse to trot back over to the stables as he pulled the other one along.

Dawn started toward the house and when she noticed that Spike wasn't following she walked back to him and grabbed his hand, pulled him along with her. Spikes looked down at their hands and then up at Dawn's face. He had really missed the Slayer's younger sister.

She pulled him along to the back door of the house that Buffy had disappeared into earlier and the warmth of the place was what he first noticed that and the smell of warm, baking bread. They were in the large kitchen. They walked along through that and down a log corridor before Dawn pulled him to a doorway on the right that lead to a large living room. It had fireplace that had a large roaring fire going and deep burgundy leather sofa's – one large two seat that could actually fit three people and two single armchairs in the same fashion. The rugs were old but perfect for the room and the whole thing was decorated in old style English furnishings, with a slightly modern twist – kind of like Giles himself. On the mantelpiece over the fire he saw framed pictures of Buffy, Buffy and Dawn, the whole gang (not including Spike of course), and a few of people Spike did not recognize. A large coffee table made of thick, quality, wood was in the centre of the room and Spike noticed the top of it was decorated in swirls and spirals of copper – it was very classy, and he had to admire the Watchers style. On the table were a tray of biscuits and one mug of herbal tea. The tea belonged to the redheaded witch who was sitting cross-legged on the floor deep in meditation and focusing on her breathing.

Her eyes snapped open as she felt their presence in the room and she immediately focused on Spike. She stood quickly and looked him over then she smiled, then frowned as if not sure what to do with herself.

"Good to see you too, Red" Spike smirked.

"Spike, hey, oh..." She walked up to him started to hug him then paused "Thanks for saving the world!" She put her arms around him awkwardly and he patted her on the back before she pulled back and smiled twitchy "And well done on coming back from the dead! It's tricky, I've heard"

"That it is" Buffy nodded as she entered the room from another doorway that led to somewhere else and she smiled "Unless you've got a witchy friend"

Willow smiled and looked around the room, let out a breath "Whew wee! _This_ is awkward"

"Don't suppose there's any tea going for a resurrected guy?" Spike asked looking around.

"I'll get it!" Willow piped escaping from the room as fast as possible.

"Two sugars" Spike called after her.

Buffy smiled at her friend's nervousness around the vampire and then she sat down on the couch and patted the space next to her. Spike looked at Dawn who pulled him over to the chair and sat him down then sat next to him. He was sandwiched between the two Summers women.

"Xander's at work" Dawn explained to him "So he won't be back till later and Andrew is training with his Slayers"

Spike nodded "Still can't believe you let that whelp look after Slayers"

"He's doing okay, actually" Buffy said reclining into the chair and sighing, she winced a little.

"You alright?" Spike asked.

"Yeah, it's just the long flight really took it out of me," She closed her eyes "I'm just a little tired"

"It's understandable" He nodded.

Dawn looked at her sister "I still can't believe they were trying to sell your blood on the black market. Oh, Buffy, just think some vampire's just been popping the cap off a bottle and gulping down some refreshing Diet Buffy"

Buffy opened her eyes and glared at her "Thank you for that visual, Dawn"

"Buffy, you look quite peaky," Giles announced as he entered the room sans heavy coat and smoothing his wet hair down "Perhaps you should go upstairs and rest in your room"

"No, I should stay and –"

"He's right, luv, you don't look too clever" Spike put his hand on her forehead "Got a bit of a temperature"

"It's probably the climate change from California to here not to mention you were physically and emotionally drained" Giles nodded and walked over to her made it clear she had to go.

Buffy sighed and let Giles help her up before she turned and left the room. Giles watched her go and then sat down in one of the armchairs across from the couch. He removed his glasses and cleaned them then replaced them on the bridge of his nose. Willow entered and handed Spike his tea before picking hers up from the coffee table and standing leaning against a far wall. Giles held his hands out to the fire and paused then turned to the vampire.

"Spike," Giles said slowly, careful to choose his words correctly "I never thought I would say this, but, I'm glad to see you're well. None of us will forget what you did for us, for Buffy, and for the world. Your actions were courageous and noble and those were not two words I would have necessarily have had you down as. However, you proved yourself worthy of your soul and in getting that soul and sacrificing yourself to rid the world of the Hellmouth you have given yourself a good head start down the road of redeeming your past"

"Cheers, Rupert" Spike nodded and smiled.

"But don't think that means I'm going embrace you as my surrogate son" Giles clarified.

Spike chuckled "'Heaven forbid"

The two men reached an understanding then and Spike sipped on his tea, reveling in the warmth of it. He sipped some more and sighed.

"You just can't get tea like this in America" Spike noted.

"Quite," Giles nodded "Why do you think I moved back here? For Buffy's own good? No, because I missed a decent English cup of tea"

Willow and Dawn laughed and Giles smiled.

Spike shifted down in the chair and felt something he hadn't felt for a long while - comfortable.

****

Buffy padded down the stairs of Giles' house and yawned, rubbing her eyes, she had slept for too long and now it was almost eleven o' clock at night. Dawn was already in bed because she had school tomorrow and Willow and Kennedy were also in bed but for a different reason. She turned down the corridor and walked up to the living room where she heard voices. It took her a moment to realize it was Xander and Spike that was talking, very civilized it seemed. Buffy stopped outside and listened even though she knew that was rude.

"So, how's The Big, Dark and Brooding?" Xander asked.

Buffy rolled her eyes.

Spike snorted "As boring as ever"

"Heard he's running an evil law firm? That's...new"

"Yeah, well, he's doin' a lot of stupid stuff but..." There was a long pause "But I might be starting to get what he's doin' there...even if I'm not gonna lend a hand"

There was a pause before Xander spoke again "How's Buffy doing?"

"I dunno...I don't think it's my place to go up there and check on her. I think Giles might have whacked me if I tried to go up to her room"

Buffy leaned closer to the door.

"So, would I" Xander said and his tone wasn't all light-hearted "If she's ill maybe I should go check on her"

"I'd leave her a couple more hours, she needs her rest"

"Yeah," There was a pause "How come we're having a civilized conversation? When did we start being civilized towards each other?"

"Don't bloody ask me. Maybe it's the English air"

"Which you don't breathe," Xander said leading.

"True"

Buffy walked into the room and the two men looked up at her – Xander was sitting on the couch and Spike was in the armchair opposite him, sitting with his legs wide open and his fingers tented looking kind of relaxed. They were both having a beer and Buffy had to admit it was a surprise to see them being such buddies, it was a strange surprise but a good one.

Spike stood as she entered and she almost smiled it was just such a gentlemanly thing to do, Xander put his beer down on the table and sat up straighter. The Slayer was in her pajamas which was just a pair of pajama bottoms and a blue T-shirt; her hair was loose now. Xander was dressed in his suit, as he was site manager on a building site quite a way away from here. It had taken a lot of convincing for the people to employ him due to his lack of two eyes, but after much badgering they had agreed to take him on. Spike was dressed the same except his duster was gone.

"Hey, Buff, good of you to tell me you were bringing a guest back" Xander quipped "I nearly had a heart attack when I saw him"

"He bloody accused me of being The First and tried to attack me with his blueprints" Spike snorted.

"Can you blame me?"

Buffy looked at her friend "I called, told Giles. I thought he would tell you"

"Apparently I had already left for work when he got that call" Xander took a swig of his beer.

"How are you?" Spike asked softly.

She looked to him "I'm way jetlagged but apart from that I think I'm good now. I'm figuring I'm gonna go back to bed in a minute" Buffy yawned.

"That's where I'm headed now," Xander stood then looked sheepish "I, of course, mean _my_ bed, not Buffy's because...okay, bye" He nodded abashed and left.

Spike sat back down on the couch but the Slayer remained standing and he took a long gulp of his beer before setting it down on the coffee table. She folded her arms, then unfolded them, placed them behind her back and then folded them again in front of her. Buffy was feeling fidgety and she knew why.

"So, how do you like England?" She asked trying to ease the tension.

"Well, it's about the same as I remember it"

"When was the last time you were here?"

"1910"

Her eyebrows lifted "Okay, I think a _few_ things have changed"

Spike shrugged "I never was one for the countryside. More of a city bloke"

"Then you must hate it here"

He shrugged again "It's alright. I can see why Giles would live here and ever maybe Red, what with the earthy connections and whatnot, but I can't see you being happy here. Can't get much privacy what with a house this full"

"Like I ever had any of that," Buffy smiled then shook her head "Actually you're wrong. Giles has a small guesthouse...well, really more of a cottage and he gave it to, well, me"

Spike frowned "So, why do you have a room upstairs?"

"Incase I feel lonely, incase I need to be closer to Dawn, incase..." Buffy trailed off.

He smiled a little, as if he understood "Incase you want to be dependant on someone else for once. You had sole ownership of the house back in Sunnydale after Joyce...and that was a lot of stress so –"

"So, sometimes I like to pretend like I'm still a kid," She nodded "Like Giles can look after me, so I can sleep soundly. Yeah, I'm a _Slayer_ and I'm afraid of living by myself. I mean its not even more then thirty seconds away from the main part of the house. I am tragic"

Spike stood slowly and shook his head "Not tragic, luv. Just you missed out on a proper childhood, so it's no big surprise you want to be looked after sometimes"

Buffy looked at him and he looked back and smiled and she was glad that he understood and that she didn't feel like she had to explain it further to him. Giles strolled into the room and looked between the two as he took a sip of his tea.

Her Watcher looked down at his watch "Buffy, it's rather late and weren't you supposed to be resting?"

Buffy glanced at Spike and smiled then looked back at Giles "Yes, _dad_"

"Oh, really," Giles got flustered, "I only meant –"

"It's cool, Giles," Buffy grinned "I'm gonna go back to bed"

"Uh...?" Spike shifted from foot to foot.

The Slayer and her Watcher looked at him expectantly.

"It's just, well, where am I gonna sleep?" He scratched his jaw.

Buffy looked at Giles who looked back at her equally blank "I didn't think about that"

"Big surprise" Spike snorted and she gave him a look.

Giles sipped his tea "Well, all of our rooms are fully occupied. There's always the sofa..."

"Giles" Buffy said in a slightly unpleased tone.

"What? It folds down into a sofa bed, I had anticipated when I brought this house and it's furniture that there was a possibility you would all come down here and demand squatters rights so I made sure I was prepared" He smiled wryly "An Englishman is always prepared"

"He's right there, luv" Spike looked over at her with a twinkle in his eyes.

Buffy cleared her throat feeling a blush spread across her face "Okay, Spike on the couch. Everyone's happy. I'm gonna...bye" She turned and fled from the room.

Spike and Giles both turned to each other and seized the other one up before they simultaneously cleared their throats and looked around the room going for casual and failing miserably. Some things hadn't changed – when Buffy wasn't around Spike felt out of place with her friends even now.

"Spike," Giles said in a slightly weary tone "Buffy is glad you're back, and in a way we all are, but..."

Spike turned back to the Watcher "But what?"

"But she has just received a chance at the life she had always wanted – one free of the responsibilities of being the only Slayer. There is no doubt she will always be a Slayer but now she does not have to be one first and foremost. She has the chance at a normal, well-rounded life. Buffy may not think so far ahead in her future but I do and she deserves to be happy, she deserves to have friends, to have a career and to have _healthy_ relationships." He looked at Spike pointedly.

The vampire looked back at him and remained blank-faced "And, let me guess, I don't fit in the 'healthy' bracket?"

"No, you do not" Giles placed his tea down on the table then stood up straight again and folded his arms "As much as I respect and admire your actions against The First and though you do now have a soul you are still a vampire, Spike. You cannot possibly offer Buffy what she needs"

"And what exactly is that, seen as you seem to be the expert?" Spike took a step towards him, facing him off.

"She needs someone who can take her where she wants to go. Outside in the sun, in the light, someone whose whole world does not revolve around death and bloodlust. She needs someone real" Giles removed his glasses and looked him in the eyes.

Spike looked back "And I'm not that someone"

"No, you're not" Giles replied softly.

The vampire turned his back on the man and grabbed his duster up from the chair. He threw it on and pulled out his cigarette, lighting up and taking a long, deep puff before turning back to Giles. The Watcher remained impassive as Spike looked at him and they shared another moment of understanding. That Spike was not good enough for Buffy and that they both knew it. Spike took another long drag of his cigarette before he turned on his heel and strolled out of the room down the corridor and out of the front door slamming it behind him.

Giles sank down into an armchair and rubbed the bridge of his nose before replacing his glasses and letting out a sigh "She won't thank me for that"

A/N: That pesky Giles, huh? Yeah he always was meddlesome. Just kidding – I love Giles but he was never a big supporter of the Buffy Spike whirlwind romance (if whirlwind meant never fully resolved and full of sexual and emotion tension that is). So, anyway. The Scoobies are finally here. Kennedy is not...not sure whether to give some explanation on that or not. Why don't you tell me? Kennedy Pro or Kennedy Anti. You Decide! (Went a bit Big Brother there). So, we're in England now. My homeland "God Save the Queen, Send her Victorious, happy and glorious..." Well you know the gist of it. More SPUFFY to follow. Keep with the reviews. It makes me do my happy dance.


	9. Grandma Giles and the Cranky HouseVampir...

****

A/N: I know that one or two of you were worried about Spike's storming out. Well, he's back. Cos he is in love with Buffy and a little Snarky Gilesness isn't gonna drive him out. So, be calm my dear. This chapter is short because in the next chapter something BIG happens. Drum roll, please. Anyway, here it is...

Buffy rubbed her eyes to clear the bleary vision as she sat down at the dining table and smiled when Dawn pushed her a box of cereal and bowl. She looked down at her watch and saw it was almost time for Dawn to go to school and Xander was talking on his cell phone to someone at the building site and saying he would be there as soon as possible while still trying to eat a large croissant. Giles sat at the head of the table reading a newspaper with a frown on his face and muttering under his breath about British politics. Buffy turned and looked through the doorway that led into the living room – she expected to see Spike curled up there and he was. He had his back to the doorway and was curled up in a ball on the sofa bed, she could see from there that his hair was all mussed up. It made her think back to L.A when he had dyed his hair brown and brushed it forward and how different it had made him look.

Buffy turned back around in her seat at the opposite end of the table and started eating her cereal just as Andrew walked in wearing his Spiderman PJ's and rubbing his eye with the back of his hand yawning just like a little kid. His usually spiky blond hair was flattened and he sat next to Dawn who rolled her eyes at his morning state. It had to be said it had taken all of them a long time to adjust to all living together but having to see Andrew everyday certainly was the biggest challenge. Xander was thinking about moving out but he was having a hard problem locating a house close enough to them so he was seriously considering enlisting help to build his own house. Buffy had to admit that sounded kind of cool.

"Hey, Dawn," Buffy looked up and spoke "I forgot to tell you but Angel said 'hi'"

Her sister smiled "He is a vamp of many words"

The Slayer smiled "Oh, and Giles, I've decided that there's no point in us being against Angel, we can't afford to lose him as an ally"

"But you said that we weren't on the same side anymore!" Andrew protested "I made a big speech and everything to him!"

Giles ignored the boy "You really think he understands the gravity of his situation?"

"I do," She nodded "He's been around a long time, Angel knows what he's doing"

The Watcher let out a resigned sigh "As you wish, Buffy"

"Hey, does that mean that if we ever get in legal trouble, like say...a house I build falling on someone's head, that he can get me out of that scot-free?" Xander looked up, biting into his croissant and brushing the crumbs off of his expensive suit.

Buffy just smiled.

"He's sleepy" Dawn motioned to Spike.

Buffy glanced back at him again "Jetlag I guess – no one can escape it, not even immortals"

Giles cleared his throat and looked up from his newspaper "Yes, well, he was also out for a good portion of the night"

"Really?" Buffy arched an eyebrow "Getting some fresh air, I guess...not that he breathes or anything but..."

"Maybe he just wanted to look around, England is his homeland so maybe he missed it a little bit. Giles sure did he was all like 'oh, god the tea here is ghastly!' and 'you Americans are _so_ unrefined!' when he was back in Sunnydale" Dawn commented and giggled.

Giles frowned "I did not use the word 'ghastly' I'm sure it was more like 'awful'. Yes, now that is a perfectly accurate description of the tea back in America. Oh, I shudder just remembering it"

Dawn rolled her eyes "Whatever, grandma"

"Oh, honestly! First Buffy calls me 'dad' and now this," Giles sighed "I must be getting truly old"

"Mmh hmm" Every one at the table murmured and nodded.

"Charming!" The Watcher announced huffily and lifted his newspaper to hide his sulking face.

Spike rolled over in bed and grunted "Will you all shut up! Can't a guy get some sleep around here?"

Dawn pulled a face at Buffy and then stood up and picked up her bag for school. She said goodbye to them all and then left with Xander who was giving her a lift to school and then going to work. That left just Giles and Buffy at the table and when she finished her breakfast she left the kitchen and walked into the living room where Spike was lying down and staring at her as she entered. Buffy shut the door that led to the dining room and didn't see Giles' concerned look as she did so.

"Hey, sorry about waking you up" Buffy said softly as she walked over to the sofa bed and sat down on the corner of it.

Spike shifted under the thin blanket and Buffy saw his bare feet as he pulled himself into a sitting position on the bed. He ran a hand through his messed up hair and trained his blue eyes on her. He was still wearing his black T-shirt and jeans. The vampire had pulled all of the heavy curtains in the living room so that he avoided being fried by the sun.

He shrugged "I'll sleep when I'm dead, right? Oh, wait." He smiled wryly.

She smiled back but then quickly dropped it "Sorry about bailing on you last night. I should have made sure you settled back in with Willow and Giles..."

"You needed to rest, Buffy," Spike said, "Besides I think that Rupert and I understand each other"

Buffy frowned "What do you mean?"

Spike shook his head "Nothin'. So, what 'ave you got planned for today?"

"Random hanging out" She shrugged "I thought I might take a walk later"

He just looked at her blankly.

"I thought you might take a walk with me later" Buffy elaborated.

"Oh," Spike shifted and cleared his throat and looked at the dining room door "Well, I would but even in England the sun won't do anything for my complexion besides make it turn to dust, luv"

She smiled "I mean tonight when it's safe"

"Well," Again his gaze was fixed on the door and then he pulled a face and looked at her "Yeah, alright. Sounds good"

"Good" Buffy nodded she stood and started to leave.

"Buffy?" He called after her.

"Yeah?"

Spike paused then shook his head "I'm gonna be cooped up in here a while, don't suppose there's anything that needs doing?"

She frowned "You mean chores? I didn't realize you were a housevampire now"

Spike snorted "I just meant I could lend a hand. I'm pretty decent at the practical stuff"

"Well, Xander kind of sorts all that stuff out as far as I know, but..." Buffy looked down at him "There _is_ one thing that needs doing..."

That was how Spike found himself cleaning out the guesthouse that Giles had given to the Slayer while she went out and job searched. He grumbled and cursed all the way but at least it gave him something to do other than fume over what her Watcher had said the night before. It's not like Spike had even made a play for Buffy, not since the _incident_ last year but he did not want to remember that. Ever since he had gotten his soul Spike had been nothing if not a gentleman, okay sometimes a very lascivious gentleman, but a gentleman nonetheless. Just because he had a soul did not mean he didn't still have the same basic male desires that he had had before and always.

He shook his head and tried to clear it because it did no good to think about things like that. It wasn't like Buffy would ever get over Angel. Bastard.

The cottage was actually nice in a small, homely way. The small living room had worn down green sofas and there was a fireplace that Spike felt the need to clean and get all sooty. The rugs all over the place were very 'Giles'. The ceiling was low and there was low rafter beams that even Spike almost had trouble with nearly hitting his head and he was by no means the tallest man. Spike dusted all of those by hanging onto them and testing how strong they were. He vacuumed the place and just groaned at what Drusilla or Angelus would think if they saw him like this. He might as well be wearing a pink frilly apron with the word 'whipped' on it. Screw them, he was bored. Besides it was the twenty first century and all that – cleanliness next to godliness. Christ, he sounded like a poof.

The walls of the cottage were painted a nondescript cream that was also carried into the open kitchen that had an old fashioned AGA stove in it, a small fridge and wooden countertops. There was a small window that was sealed shut due to lack of use and Spike nearly broke the glass trying to open it. He finally managed it without the sun burning his skin.

Spike sighed and cleaned the small bathroom with a white bare-clawed tub and all of the walls were tiled in white, the toilet was white and the floor lino was white and gray. After he had finished the lower level of the house he climbed the rickety wooden stairs but there was only about seven of them because the upstairs of the house was actually the attic as the cottage was a bungalow. The only room upstairs was Buffy's large bedroom that took up all of the space that the lower level three rooms had taken up. It was clear she did not spend much time in this place, her practically empty fridge had also suggested this, but it was too neat up here. The floorboards were visible because there was no carpet save for the small faux fur rug by the large open fireplace off to the left. In the middle of the room against the back wall of the cottage but coming out vertically was her double bed. The duvet cover was dark cobalt and heavy for the cold winter months in the cold attic. The rest of the room was pretty empty but there was a wooden nightstand next to the bed that held a picture of Dawn and another that held one of Dawn, Joyce and Buffy. He walked over and picked the picture up noticing as he was there that the under sheets on Buffy's bed were a darker blue then the duvet cover and that the pillows matched the cobalt blue.

Spike picked up the picture of the three Summers women and smiled looking at them so happy, so together, and such a family. It made him want to mourn Joyce all over again and the gap it she had left behind in both Dawn's and Buffy's life. He replaced the picture frame and yawned he was tired because his sleep had been interrupted and he was covered in soot from the downstairs fireplace. Spike looked over at the Slayer's bed and was so tempted to just crawl in there – she wasn't using it, was she? He'd be up and out of it before she even got back. Spike saw a door in the right wall of the room and walked over to it, opened it and saw it was a tiny en suite toilet and basin with a glass shower cubicle in it. So, Buffy had a decent bath and a shower, a big bedroom, two fireplaces, and a kitchen all to herself and she chose to sleep in the main body of the house where she was cramped in one room and had to share the bathroom. Well, if she wasn't using it he would sure as hell move in. If he stayed. He still wasn't sure of that.

Spike stepped into the small bathroom and washed his hands, his forearms and his face to get rid of the soot before he walked back into the bedroom and kicked his shoes off. He climbed underneath the duvet of Buffy's bed and pulled his T-shirt off flinging it to the floor. Though she had not slept in the bed recently Spike could still smell Buffy's scent on the pillows and he snuggled his face into them before he closed his eyes and fell into a deep sleep.

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A/N: Dedicated to the memory of my dear Rufwardo. You can rest now, girl. You can rest.


	10. The Lake

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A/N: For all you loyal readers, a treat. A true Spuffy chapter for you. I think this chapter may be rated 'R' for one minor incident. Don't want to spoil it. Romance is in the air. But, guys, this is Spike and Buffy so don't think it's gonna be happily ever after just yet...

As the Slayer walked side by side down the small craggy pathway with the peroxide-haired vampire with a soul she smiled just a little. She had never thought she would be taking a nice, normal non-patrol walk with Spike – partly because she had thought him dead and partly because they just didn't seem to have the type of relationship that usually included nice country strolls.

It was dark now because it was around five o'clock and the days got darker sooner in England. They had left later then she had intended but that was because she had found Spike napping in her bed. Her other bed anyway. It wasn't like she used it much anyway. Buffy figured she had slept in the guesthouse about three times since they had come to England. As far as she was concerned Spike could stay in the small cottage as long as he wanted to stay, which she hoped would be for a little while longer than her trip to Los Angeles had lasted.

She glanced at him from the corner of her eye and he was kicking a small pebble down the stony path. Spike was looking down as he walked, fixated on his shoes and that was unlike him because he usually strutted as confident as a predator, which he was. Either he had changed an awful lot since Sunnydale or something was playing on his mind. Buffy kind of hoped it was the latter because she didn't want Spike to have changed, she liked him as he was. Mostly.

The Slayer sighed and looked up at the full moon thinking about werewolves because even now with her slightly more normal life slaying was still almost all she thought about, which was more than just ironic after all the times she had wished she could have more freedom. Be a normal girl. Sure, she wasn't the only Slayer anymore, but she still had the strength, the determination and the drive to rid the world of evil. That just wouldn't go away because of what had happened in Sunnydale.

Buffy stooped down and plucked a poppy from the ground – there were fields on either side of the path that consisted of mainly long, uncut grass but occasionally Buffy would see a nice flower that had made it through. She twirled the flower stem between her thumb and index finger as she walked with Spike through the English countryside. The only sounds in the night were their footsteps crunching on the gravel and a few crickets communicating in the night.

"We goin' anywhere specific or just having a wander?" Spike asked breaking the relative silence.

She glanced at him and her lips held a small smile "Follow me"

Buffy veered suddenly off the path and waded into the thick grass hearing Spike pause but then he was behind her doing as she had asked. The Slayer used her hands to push the long grass out of the way as she marched through with Spike close behind. She got bitten a few times through her thin white sweater and her black pants with black boots. Her hair was loose and as the breeze blew around her hair was lifted and tossed around like autumn leaves.

Buffy braced herself when the ground started to go down in a slope as she had been here many times before. Spike had no such knowledge of it and cursed as he slipped down the mud behind her and ended up colliding with her back. Buffy stumbled forward and grabbed hold of Spike arm as she twisted around to face him. He grabbed hold of her hand and they faced each other both holding the other one up and neither entirely well balanced.

Buffy looked into his stunned eyes "Guess I should have warned you about that, huh?"

"Might have helped, luv" He nodded and then let out a sudden burst of laughter as if miraculously some of the tension had just leaked out.

Buffy righted herself and pulled Spike into a steady position before turning back around "It's only a little way from here"

She walked forward slowly this time and heard Spike follow her a moment later. The mud got less thick here and it was easy to walk on. A thick clump of trees came into view and Buffy walked up to them and entered during a small gap between two of the trees. The Slayer could see well in the dark compared to most humans and she weaved in and out of the trees like someone who could come here with their eyes closed and Buffy thought that might be possible given the amount of time she had spent down at this place when she needed to think.

She finally came to the small clearing and entered stepping to the side so that Spike could come up next to her. In front of them was a small glittering lake. It was completely unspoiled by civilization like most of Westbury. It was roughly circular, very roughly, and completely surrounded by large trees. The water was clean, almost clear, but there was a large rock towards the centre and off to the left that broke the water and made for a good sitting place when she had first tried out swimming in the lake. The moonlight flittered through the branches of the trees to dance across the surface of the lake. The only thing that was missing was a cascading waterfall but this was England for god's sake and she couldn't expect perfection.

Spike let out a whistle "Seen a lot of the world in my time. Never knew my home country still had any of these kinds of places left. It's like steppin' back in time"

"And you should know" Buffy grinned.

He looked at her "I'm not _that _old"

"How old are you now?"

"Hundred and thirty, hundred and thirty one. I wasn't exactly counting"

The Slayer nodded "Yeah, you're not old at all" She chuckled.

The vampire looked at the lake once more and sighed then he sat down on the small ledge by the water, which he was lucky the mud had dried and wouldn't rub off on him. Buffy looked down at him as he pulled his knees up and then rested his forehead against them, closing his eyes.

Buffy hesitated and then crouched down next to him, not sitting, but just near him and she reached over and tentatively put a hand on the back of his neck. Spike shivered but she knew he wasn't cold because it wasn't that type of shiver.

She stroked her fingers underneath the collar of his black shirt "What's up?"

"Nothin'" Spike rasped.

"Oh. Okay then" The Slayer withdrew her hand from him and stood up.

The loss of her touch made Spike look up at her from his sitting position on the ground and he locked eyes with her for a moment before burying his head back in his hands and closing his eyes. Buffy smiled and kicked her shoes off. She pulled her sweater up over her head and continued to undress until she was left in just her underwear feeling the effects of the cold on her skin but ignoring them. Then the Slayer looked down at the vampire who had not noticed all of this and turned diving into the lake. She was sure he would hear that. As the cold water hit her body Buffy felt refreshed and fresh instead of chilled to the bone like most people would have. The temperature change made her heart pound harder but she stayed under water until she swum up close to the large rock in the lake before she resurfaced. The lake was deep enough and she was short enough that only her head appeared above the surface when she stood on the bottom of the lakebed.

Sure enough Spike had noticed her exit and he was now stood up searching the water for her, his eyes were worried until they locked on her then he just looked slightly intoxicated as he noticed her clothes had been left on the bank next to him.

"What are you doin'?" Spike called out.

Buffy pushed her wet hair away from her face and let out a shuddering breath of icy air "What's it look like?"

"Looks like you've gone barmy, Slayer!" He shouted back but let out a gleeful laugh all at once.

She smiled too happy to see him smiling again and the tension easing out of his body and mind. That was what she had intended to do in the first place.

"You comin' in?" Buffy asked, quirking an eyebrow.

"Nothin' would get me in that freezin' water" Spike shook his head and folded his arms across his chest.

"Nothing? You sure about that?" The Slayer cocked her head.

He nodded and let out a small chuckle as he looked at her. Buffy reached around herself and kept her eyes on Spike's as he continued to mock her water drowned state knowing that due to her distance away from him and because the water came up to her chin Spike couldn't see what she was doing as she unclipped her bra and slid it off of her shoulders. She pulled her arm back and pitched the garment at him and it hit him square in the face as she had planned. Spike took a stumbled step backward due to shock and tore the thing off his face he was about to shout at her when he looked down at his hands and realized what it was.

"You won't even come in now?" Buffy grinned wickedly.

The wide-eyed, open-mouthed look on Spike's face made her laugh and she began to walk backwards further away from him in the water as she kept her eyes on his. The Slayer pulled her hand out of the water and motioned for him to join her.

Spike gulped a few times like a goldfish trying to find air before he snapped himself out of it and quickly pulled his shoes off and tossed them away. He ripped his duster off and pulled his belt out of the loops of his jeans but apparently he couldn't wait any longer because he then waded into lake still wearing his jeans and shirt.

Buffy's back pressed against the rock in the middle of the lake as she watched his approach – the water soon became deep enough that he had to swim toward her. As he approached Buffy had to think that he looked a lot like an albino shark, he was a strong, sleek, sinewy predator and she was the prey.

Spike resurfaced just in front of her, water cascading off of his alabaster skin and Buffy let out a small gasp as he opened his eyes and looked at her. Spike reached out and put his hands on the rock behind Buffy trapping her in-between his arms. He looked into her eyes so deeply she thought he might be trying to steal her soul with just a look.

"You should know better than to tease, Buffy" His voice was a low purr.   
Buffy smiled and then let it slip looking at him seriously as she reached up and looped her arms around his neck then brought herself forward to press her breasts against his sodden shirt "Who said anything about teasing?"

Spike turned rigid and then he moved his hands from the rock and tangled one in her hair pulling her face to his and kissing her hard on the mouth. Buffy was pushed back against the rock and she was kind of glad it was there because otherwise she wasn't sure her legs would support her. The vampire's other hand rested on her neck and then slid down over her shoulder. Spike pulled back abruptly and looked into her eyes as he dipped his hand below water level and touched her breast. She sucked in a quick breath but kept her eyes on his.

Spike pulled away from her unexpectedly and shook his head. Buffy let go of the breath and frowned as he took a few steps back from her and then turned his back on her and stood then with his shoulders tense.

Buffy's frown didn't waver as she cautiously reached out and placed her hand between his shoulder blades. If it was possible Spike tensed even more but he looked over his shoulder at her and then quickly turned away as if regretting looking at her.

"What's wrong, Spike?" Buffy spoke softly and intimately, her heart still beating too fast from their contact.

"I...I'm not real" Spike said then let out a long unused breath.

Her frown only deepened "What?"

"I'm not your someone"

"You really aren't making much sense, Spike"

He turned back to face her, water beads on his face "I'm a vampire"

"Well, yeah, I had noticed that" Buffy smiled but it slipped when his face remained serious "What is this?"

"I'm a vampire and you're human. You need someone who can –"

"Spike, I swear to God if you say I need someone who can take me into the light I will stake you myself" Buffy's teeth gritted.

Spike's eyes widened and she could tell he had been about to say exactly that. The Slayer threw her hands up in the air and then dived into the water and swam past the vampire vigorously towards the bank of the lake. She climbed out onto the bank and turned to see Spike facing the rock with his back to her. Buffy pulled on her clothes making them wet but she really didn't care.

She pulled her boots on and started through the trees when she heard Spike call her name and start to swim towards the edge of the lake. The Slayer just walked faster moving in-between the trees and then climbing the small slippery hill to get to the field of long grass. She made her way through that field and back onto the stony walkway back to Giles house.

"Buffy!" She heard him call.

The Slayer ignored him and he called out again. She carried on down the path.

"Buf –" Spike's voice was cut off abruptly and there was a loud thud.

Buffy stopped and turned looking back at the patch of trees. It was possible that Spike was just trying to trick her into going back to him. Buffy hesitated not knowing what to do but in the end her Slayer instincts, and her feelings for Spike, won and she turned and ran back down to the trees. She got to them and saw footprints that were larger than her own – they stopped suddenly and then there were muddy tracks as if something heavy had been dragged. Buffy ran through the trees following the drag marks and found herself at the side of the lake again.

She looked out at the water but everything was serene and undisturbed. Buffy frowned and called out Spike's name several times. She did a sweep around the lake and through the trees her breathing getting ragged as she got more panicked. The Slayer made her way back around to the original opening of the trees and looked out at the field with the long grass. She walked every inch of it and found no trace of the asinine vampire. This was just typical of him, Buffy got mad at him and then he would disappear and probably get kidnapped just so she had to work through her rage and worry about him. So typical.

Buffy called out his name again and then she turned and ran full tilt back home she had to find Giles and Willow, Willow could do a spell and she would find Spike. Buffy fell more than once because her clothes were wet and the mud slippery and soon she was covered in mud and probably looked like some sort of hell beast herself.

When she burst into the house and ran into the living room caking mud and water all over the carpet Giles and Willow turned to look at her in alarm – she told them the situation as quickly as possible and they sprang into action. Willow got out her location spell stuff and Buffy got her weapons while she did it.

"Its weird," Willow said "The spell says that he's right where you left him"

"He can't be. I checked" Buffy frowned.

"It says he's there"

Without another word Buffy turned and ran out of the house and she heard Giles following a long way behind calling out her name. She ignored and sprinted down the path and toward the field, which she crashed into noisily. She slipped down the hill of mud and then picked herself up and weaved in and out of the trees.

She came grinding to a halt when she saw Spike lying on the bank of the river completely soaked and muddy as if he had dragged himself up it. He was groaning in pain and clutching his chest, which seemed to have some sort of spine in it.

Buffy ran over and crouched down next to him "What happened?"

"Bloody...water-feral demon" Spike groaned "Dragged me under – lucky I don't bloody need to breathe"

"Where is it?"

"There" He pointed to the water.

Buffy turned and readied herself for an attack but saw the thing floating face down in the middle of the lake – the back of it's head was caved in and she saw a thick splurge of blood on the rock in the lake. Spike had dashed the thing's brains out.

She turned back to Spike as Giles slipped down into the clearing and crawled over to them getting muddy himself.

"What's this?" Buffy asked pointing to Spike's chest.

"It's the water-feral demon's quill," Spike groaned.

"Duh" She rolled her eyes "Does it...is it..."

Giles looked over at the water, at the demon "Judging from the species, which I would say is a venomous water-feral demon, I'd say it's –"

"Venomous?" Buffy guessed sarcastically.

"Yes, quite," He nodded, not getting her sarcasm.

Spike spoke through gritted teeth "It's doin' something to me...I can feel it. Ahh! Bloody hell! I can't...I can't feel anything...I can't..."

Spike's eyes rolled back in his head.

TBC...

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A/N: Oh, the tension! What's wrong with Spike? Can Buffy fix it? Will I ever stop tormenting my readers by dangling them carrots and then yanking them away? Find out when I load the next chapter. Keep the reviews coming, loyal fans. Thanks ever so.


	11. Some Fish Demon's Love Slave

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A/N: Back by popular demand. Things are about to get a lot more SPUFFY around here soon and that's never a bad thing, right? So carry on reading, gentle viewers.

Buffy looked at Giles wide-eyed and he motioned for her to help him get Spike back to the house. Buffy did one better and lifted the prone vampire onto her shoulder like a fireman and practically ran back to the house. Even with her carrying Spike Giles struggled to match her speed.

"Buffy! Take him to the guesthouse" Giles called after her, panting.

The Slayer didn't question him she just kicked the door of the guesthouse open as she reached it and carried the wet, cold, lifeless body inside. Buffy looked around desperately trying to find a suitable place for him. Giles entered, gasping and running hands through his hair. Her Watcher was now covered in mud himself and he motioned her breathlessly to place the vampire on the floor of the living room. Buffy did as he asked but wondered if Spike as uncomfortable which was stupid because he wasn't even conscious.

Giles walked into the kitchen and then returned with a first aid kit he threw it to her and she caught it easily "Although I doubt antiseptic will work, try it. I'm going to run inside the house and get my papers on water demons, see what could be wrong"

He bolted out of the door a moment later. Buffy looked down at the soggy vampire and knew her face was a mask of concern. She took a breath and told herself to get on with it. Buffy grabbed his T-shirt in the middle being careful to avoid the spine and then tore it right down the middle. She pulled the material away from his body to expose his chest. The Slayer looked down and gasped because where the spine stuck out just an inch from his heart there was black tendrils of venom running in a spider-webbed fashion through his veins. Buffy grabbed the quill and yanked it out then grabbed the antiseptic from the first aid kit and uncapped it with her teeth spitting the lid away she applied some of the cream to his wound and rubbed it in hearing him groan. Spike stirred a little and then his eyes shot open and bled to yellow with a pinprick of black as his face morphed lumpy in the forehead and his fangs extended from his mouth. He growled and shot his arms out grabbing her around the neck with both hands and throttling her.

"Spi –ke!" Buffy gagged reaching up and clawing at his hands.

His eyes widened more but not at her at something that seemed to be in his mind because he screamed and let go of her making her gasp for air. Spike's body began to convulse wildly and he almost shook across the floor. Buffy had to grab his shoulders and hold his wildly bucking body down.

Then to her surprise Spike opened his mouth to scream again but instead a loud, long screech came out that was so high pitched Buffy had to hold her hands over her ears at it.

Giles ran through the door with a book under one arm and a syringe in the other he winced and his eyes narrowed at the noise. He slipped on the floor and went down, crawled towards the shaking vampire and stretched his arm across to stab the vampire in the arm, plunging the liquid into him. Almost at once his eyes went wide and he stopped shaking just looked up at the ceiling until he slumped and his eyes closed.

Buffy removed her hands from her ears and looked at Giles, shocked "What...what did you inject him with?"

"Just a sedative to keep him under and hopefully give us a little more time to work out what has happened to him" Giles explained standing up and the walking over to an armchair and slumping down into it "I thought it best to bring him here so as not to distress Dawn"

The Slayer nodded numbly choosing to remain knelt by Spike "What was that noise he was making?"

"Well, strangely enough it sounded quite similar to that of mermaids" Giles looked at her seriously.

"So, you're saying Spike is turning into a mermaid?" Buffy looked at him, eyebrow arched not amused as she might have once been in regards to the vampire being hurt and/or embarrassed.

Her Watcher gave a shake of the head "I do not know. However, if he was he would become a merman not a mermaid"

"Giles, that's _really_ not the point" She stressed "What _is_ happening to him?"

Giles gave her a weary look "I do not know. I will have to look through the Encyclopedia of Marine Monsters"

"It's called that? You're kidding"

"No, I am not" He adjusted his glasses and then picked up the demon quill from the floor careful so not to touch the poisonous end "Curious. I should be able to find some explanation. Just out of interest, though, Buffy, what were you and Spike doing at the lake?"

Buffy looked up at him; stumped to come up with an answer "That isn't important. He could wake up any minute –"

"Actually," Giles opened the book but then turned to her "He'll be out for little less than three hours, I believe"

"Oh. Well." She cleared her throat "Tea, then?"

Giles frowned and looked at her condescendingly "Buffy"

"Giles" Buffy replied in the same tone of voice as she stood up and folded her arms over her chest, suddenly aware again that she was soaking wet "It's not really your business, is it? You're not my father and even if you were I'm an adult, Giles. I make my own decisions"

He rubbed his brow and sighed "I take it that means you were being _intimate _with him"

"Again, it's not your business" She looked down at him unwavering "I'm gonna go and change, dry out and then we are gonna help Spike"

Buffy turned and ran up the stairs of the guesthouse knowing she kept some clothes here. She walked into her room and to the small dresser absent-mindedly pulling out clothes and stripping her wet ones off. The Slayer tried not to think about what had happened that night. It had all started out so simply all she had tried to do was take a walk with Spike and it had ended in disaster. It was like the fates were trying to make sure they stayed away from each other even in a friendly capacity. Not that the incident in the lake had been just 'friendly' of course.

Buffy didn't know what was going on in her head. It should have been simple because Spike was supposed to be bad for her, right? She wasn't so sure now. The past year when he had gotten his soul back he had been a rock for her to lean on and they had grown so close, closer then she ever thought she would get to the peroxide vampire. When he had sacrificed himself she had told him that she loved him, but he hadn't believed her. Buffy knew that at the time she had said it because he was dying and because she did care deeply for him. Now, after seeing him alive when she thought she'd never see him again the Slayer wondered if, maybe, she might actually be a _little_ in love with him. With Buffy love had usually been all or nothing but neither her relationship with Angel or Riley had worked out well so maybe getting to love someone slowly but steadily was the key.

She sighed as she dried herself off with a towel and got changed. Thinking about Spike lying downstairs hurt made her chest feel tight. She turned and looked at her bed, which was unmade, because Spike had crawled out of it that afternoon. Buffy sat down on the corner of it and placed her hand on the pillow taking a long deep breath.

"Buffy?" Giles voice floated up the stairs.

The Slayer stood and then ran quickly down the stairs coming into the living room "What, what is it?"

"I think I've found the demon" He replied from his spot in the armchair, he motioned to her to sit down and she did "Spike was correct in that it was a water-feral demon and it was of the venomous kind as we know. However, I studied the quill and you can see it has a slight indentation at the base of it – this type of quill only belongs to female water-feral demons"

Buffy shifted in the chair "Why is this relevant?"

"Buffy," He took a moment, wetted his lips "The water-feral demon's aim is to find herself a mate to procreate with. If she cannot find one of her own species –"

"Oh my god! Are you saying this demon..._mated_ with Spike?!" Buffy's eyes widened.

"No. Listen, if she cannot find a mate of her own species then she will make one"

The Slayer frowned "Make one?"

"The venom in her quills can...change any species into a water-feral demon if injected into the bloodstream"

"But Spike doesn't have circulation"

"It doesn't seem to matter"

Buffy looked down at the vampire "So...so you're saying Spike's gonna change into a..."

"Water-feral demon? Yes, it looks that way"

The Slayer took a few moments to register this "I don't get it Giles, I've been swimming in that lake almost since we got here"

"Yes, but you are female and regardless of the venom's metamorphic ability it can only work on males of any species, not females. It's likely the demon was lying dormant at the bottom of the lake waiting for a male to come to the water" Giles looked down at the book then back up "I can't find a cure"

Buffy stood "Well, you're gonna have to look harder, aren't you?"

"Buffy –"

"No, Giles!" She turned to look at him, eyes hard "Spike did not come back from the dead just to get turned into some fish demon's love slave"

Her Watcher looked at her "No, but it seems he's come back to be yours"

Buffy's mouth dropped open and she was flabbergasted "You did _not_ just say that!"

Giles rose from the chair and placed the book on the table. He stretched and then placed his hands comfortably in his pockets looking back into her eyes with a little sadness but assured that what he was doing was the right thing.

"I did just say that," His tone was soft, melancholic "Because it needs to be said. The first time you got...involved with Spike I wasn't around to put a stop to it but I'm here now and I won't let you make the same mistake twice"

Buffy's jaw dropped again "Who do you think you are? You can't just decided who I can or cannot see, Giles, you have _never_ been able to control my personal life in that way"

"Yes, well, perhaps if I had you wouldn't have..." He trailed off, not wanting to say the wrong thing.

Buffy arched an eyebrow and she tilted her head her 'stern' face on "I wouldn't have what, Giles? Wouldn't have made so many disastrous mistakes? Wouldn't have got hurt so badly? All those experiences bad or good have made me who I am today and they were my mistakes to make, not yours. How dare you presume to know what's best for me! When was the last time _you_ had a real relationship?"

He paused and shook his head "That isn't relevant"

"I think it is," She stepped up "The last time you fell for someone? Not since Ms. Calendar"

Giles eyes snapped up at her, hard "Don't you dare bring her up!"

"Fine, I won't. Then don't talk to me about Spike," Buffy replied sharply.

"I'm just trying to stop you from ruining you life," He tried hard to put his point across "You have a chance at something normal here. You can find yourself a normal, human partner and lead a long, happy life"

Buffy looked at him "Maybe 'normal' isn't what I'm looking for anymore. I know that when I first started out the whole Slayer gig all I wanted was to date, to shop to have an average _normal_ girls life but things have changed...I've changed. Even if I'm not the Chosen _One_ anymore I can't go back to being 'normal' because, Giles, I'm not normal. I'm extraordinary"

She was remembering Spike's words back in L.A in the elevator ride they had taken together when he called her extraordinary and she had just realized he was right. Giles looked back at her but didn't oppose her view.

"I don't want to sound egotistical," Buffy carried on "But I think it's true. I can't _ever_ be normal because ever since I was born I've had this weird, unique destiny that I was one day gonna become the Slayer. Then I fought demons, averted a dozen apocalypses and destroyed a whole town bringing a Hellmouth down. You won't find that on an ordinary person's résumé"

"You're quite right, Buffy" Giles took a step towards her "But that doesn't mean you have to go down the road that Spike will take you"

"And what road is that?"  
"The road to heartbreak and pain. You've had more of that in your short life then most people have in their entire lives" He paused "I don't want you to let him hurt you again"

She shook her head "If anyone hurt anyone in the whole Spike and Buffy escapades it was me dealing the pain"

"He attacked you"

"Yes" Was all she said for a moment "And I'm not condoning that but, in a way, I hurt him just as bad. He was in love with me, Giles, and I completely used him. That's not something I ever want to repeat with anyone"

He gave her a swift nod "Yes, I understand that. Yet, however noble Spike gets now or in the near future he is still a vampire and even with a soul his instincts tell him to inflict pain"

"But his heart tells him otherwise," Buffy locked eyes with him "And even you know Spike has always been ruled by his heart not his head"

"It's true that even before the soul with Drusilla they had something that, if not love, was extremely close to it" Giles admitted "But all it takes is for his resolve to slip for one moment and he could do something terrible"

"Isn't that the same for everyone?"

"It is unlikely that you could compare what a distressed Spike might do to someone and what a human would do" He said "But I can see neither of us is gonna back down on that point. So, I have one last question to ask you – have you thought about the practicality of being with a vampire?"

Buffy sighed "Giles, I planned to be with Angel my whole life, remember?"

"So, you've thought about the fact that if you were in a relationship with either Spike or Angel that they won't age?"

She paused, looked down at the floor then back up "It wasn't ever an issue because I'm the Slayer and the Slayer has a short life expectancy"

"Back then, yes" Giles rubbed the bridge of his nose "But now things are different and you are not the sole Slayer. It is likely you will live to a ripe old age"

"Yay?" Buffy came up with weakly.

"You would age naturally and they would stay looking exactly the same and in time you would most likely resent them for that," He explained "And is there any real guarantee that Spike would stay with you through your old age?"

Buffy groaned "Giles, I'm not thinking that far ahead. I'm kind of doing the normal thing of just going with what I feel right now. I can't even imagine myself at forty or fifty or older, if I even make it to that age. Yes, my feelings for Spike might change, I might not want to be with him or he might not want to be with me in the future but I'm going with the moment. Living for the present"

Giles glanced down at the vampire on the floor then back at her "What exactly are your feelings for Spike? With Angel it was always clear you were in love but with Spike it's Could you really love William the Bloody?"

"No" She paused for a long time and Giles nodded his head as if that was what he had expected "But I could love _Spike_"

His head snapped back to look at her, eyes a fraction wide "And do you? Love him"

****

A/N: Left on a cliffhanger last time which nobody really thanked me for...so I thought I'd do it again! I am so cruel. A little question for you, this doesn't really have anything to do with this fic, but I have been curious for a while. In most fanfictions I have read (and in my own) Buffy's perfume is almost always vanilla. How did this come about? Did they mention it in the show or a novel? Answers on a postcard please.

Oh and keep reviewing. Thanks for all the support.


	12. That is The Question

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A/N: This chapter is a _really_ short one, sorry about that. The next chapters are sort of pivotal so they can't be included in this one. So, really, just a little teaser for you. Back to the question of the moment...

Buffy wetted her lips and thought about her answer looking into the kind blue eyes of her Watcher, father figure and friend but before she could answer Spike stirred on the floor. He moaned her name and she ran over and crouched next to him taking his hand.

She looked up at Giles "You said he would be out for three hours"

"Clearly, the venom is too strong" Giles walked over and stood on the other side of Spike.

"Giles, how long will it take for him to...you know?" She asked worriedly running her thumb up and down the back of his hand.

Giles walked back over to the book and scanned it "It says...depending on the species two days at worse, a week at best"

"And how long does it take for vampires?"

"It doesn't say, Buffy"

"Buff..." Spike licked his lips looked up groggily into her eyes "What's goin'...on?"

She flicked her eyes to Giles who shrugged before she looked back down at Spike "Nothing, nothing. You just need to rest" Buffy stroked her fingers across his hairline.

His eyes closed and opened "Okay..."

"Giles, I'm...I'm taking Spike upstairs," She told him pulling the vampire into a sitting position and then Giles crouched down and helped.

The two of them propped Spike up underneath his arms and then they dragged him through the cottage and steadily up the stairs to Buffy's bedroom. Spike groaned in pain and exhaustion as his chest flared with pain and the two of them carried him over and laid him down on the bed. Buffy saw he was unconscious again. She sighed, ran a hand through her hair and sat down on the bed next to him. She started to go to pull his boots off when she saw he wasn't wearing them and remembered he had left them by the lake. Her bed was getting a little wet from the water that he was still covered in but she really didn't care.

Giles began to pace "You'll have to tell him, Buffy. If he is...if he has moments of sound mind he deserves to know what is happening"

"I know, Giles, I know" She closed her eyes and took a deep breath "It's just...how am I suppose to tell him this? You remember how I freaked when you said I was gonna get an aspect of a demon back in high school! And I ended up with a cool, slightly insane-making, telepathic power. He's gonna actually become a demon"

"He's already a demon," Giles said coldly then off her hard look added, "I was turned into a Fyarl demon, do you recall? I know how he is going to feel but that doesn't detract from the fact that he _has_ to know. If I had had the choice I would have wanted to know beforehand"

"Even if you knew there was nothing you could do about it?" Buffy asked.

He took a long moment "We'll talk about this tomorrow. We will research tonight and if there _is_ a cure we will find it, Buffy"

"Thanks Giles," She said and really meant it "But, can you get Will and Xand to help? I just think I should stay here, make sure he's alright"

Giles looked dubious "Buffy...I doubt he will awaken again tonight, and his transformation shouldn't really start till tomorrow"

"I still have to be here, Giles. I have to. Incase...incase..."

"Incase, what?"

"Incase he needs me" The Slayer stood "Please, get _everybody_ on this. I'll stay here and as soon as you find anything tell me"

He paused then nodded slowly "Of course. If you need anything I'll be in the main cottage. Oh and...Buffy?" Giles was almost out of the door when he stopped and looked back "Try...try not to think too much about it"

He turned and left and she heard his footsteps down the stairs and then as he left she heard him crunching across the gravel back to the main house. She sat back down on the bed and looked at Spike, lying there shirtless, poisoned and unconscious and she wanted to scream. She wanted to kill the demon that had done this to him but Spike had already done that job. Buffy stood again and pulled the covers out from underneath the vampire to pull them back up over him.

She walked to the window and looked out at the dark English sky and clenched her fists. Buffy could not believe this was happening to Spike because some demon skank had been having a dry spell and wanted to mate with him. _Slut_ Buffy thought to herself then laughed bitterly, God it was just _too_ surreal. There were heavy dark clouds out in the sky now as if to match her mood and the Slayer turned away and pulled the curtains shut not wanting to look anymore and so Spike would be safe when the sun came up tomorrow morning. She glanced down at his almost glowing white skin in the darkness. Buffy decided she should go downstairs and fix the door or something so that the cold English weather wouldn't completely destroy her cottage.

That was before he spoke.

"Buffy," His voice was raspy and she jumped because she had not been expecting it.

She turned back and walked over to the bed, sat down on the side of it and took his hand. To her surprise he wrenched her forward and caught her, wrapping his arms around her waist, against his chest.

She braced her hands against his chest and pulled away enough to look into his eyes "Spike? What are you doing?"

"Honestly? I...I have no idea" He groaned and closed his eyes falling back down the bed asleep again.

Buffy extricated herself from his now limp grasp and sat up straight looking down at him with worry and confusion on her face. What was going to happen to him mentally if he turned into this water-feral thingy? She didn't want Spike to change into some feral, evil monster. She hadn't liked him when he had been that in the first place. Buffy just hated to think of all those years of progress he had made being wasted because a woman demon got horny. It was just embarrassing. And scary as hell.

****

A/N: Thank you guys for sticking with me on this one. I appreciate the reviews and keep them coming. I'd be interested to know what your favourite moments are so far in this fan fiction and if you think the characters are well written. Thanks again. Next chapter up soon.


	13. A Muffin Basket and Some Explaining

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A/N: Thanks to everyone who stuck with this story and the reviews. I see I have some newbie followers. Welcome, my friends. Welcome. Without further ado...

"I take it you didn't find anything?"

The Slayer rubbed the bridge of her nose as she looked up at Giles when he entered the bedroom. She was sitting on the end of the bed as Spike still slumbered soundly as if he didn't have a care in the world. Her Watcher gave her a grave expression that wordlessly answered her question. Buffy let out a long sigh and looked back down at the vampire, one of his arms was thrown across his face and the other one was extended above his head and he looked just like an innocent child having a dream.

Giles closed the bedroom door and walked up closer to her "Buffy, I'm sure it's just a matter of time before we find something. I've had Willow up all night on the Internet and Xander has fixed your door downstairs before he went off to work. Dawn wanted to stay home from school but I thought it best she went and Andrew...well he's as exasperating as ever, he wanted to make Spike a fruit and muffin basket to 'get well soon!" He grunted.

"But nothing?"

"No, not yet" He ran a hand through his hair "Perhaps you should take a break – get some sleep, have a shower and something to eat?"

"I can't"

"I had a feeling you would say that, so I brought this with me" Giles opened the door again and pulled out a large basket and held it out to her sheepishly "Courtesy of Andrew"

Buffy smiled slightly taking the basket and nabbing one of the muffins, taking a bite "Thanks, Giles. You know, at least he's...at least he's not in pain. I mean he hasn't woken up much at all since...it happened"

He nodded "Yes, I suppose it's good to know, if worse comes to worse"

"Somehow I'm still not comforted" She bowed her head and closed her eyes.

"That is understandable," Giles said comfortingly "Buffy, I just want to say that I'm sorry about our...discussion yesterday. It was wholly inappropriate considering the circumstances"

She looked up again at him "But you still believe I should just keep my distance from him"

"Yes"

"Giles..."

He put a hand up "I will get back to researching. If you feel you do want to rest I will have Andrew relieve you of your watch"

"I couldn't do that to Spike," Buffy smiled wryly "He'd kill himself if he found out I'd left Andrew with him as his only company"

Giles gave her a soft smile and then nodded at her and turned on his heel leaving the bedroom just in time to miss Spike stirring. The Slayer stood and then walked up to the head of the bed and sat down next to him, she stroked her fingertips up and down his temple. Spike groaned and snuggled into her hand.

Buffy looked down at him as his eyelids flickered and his cold hand trailed down the bed to rest on her thigh. She felt his hand run down to her knee and then back up and she couldn't help but feel her spine straighten making her rigid. To be fair her reaction was justified because Spike hadn't touched her in any sort of way other than being friendly since he had gotten his soul back. Unless she counted what had happened back at the lake but this was different because this kind of touch was unplanned yet comfortable. It was as if he was her boyfriend who was familiar with how she liked him to show affection for her. When they had been lovers it had never been about _affection_, though.

"Spike, hey," Buffy hesitantly put her hand on top of his that was on her leg "Are you awake?"

He cleared his throat "It...it bloody feels like it" He let out a long groan.

"Does it hurt a lot?"

"Nope, it more sort of...tingles" Spike opened his eyes fully and looked up at her "What...what's happenin', Buffy?"

She looked down at him "Something bad"

"I figured. When isn't something bad happening to you or me or both of us? I think the...I think the sodding Powers That Be are tryin' to tell us something, luv" He croaked.

Buffy remembered her earlier thoughts but pressed him anyway "What'd you mean?"

"I think they want us to keep apart, I think we must be like electricity and water - mix us together and something goes boom" Spike laughed a little but it sounded bitter "Some people are made for each other, tailor fit but we...we are like a little bloody kid with two pieces of a different jigsaw puzzle who keeps trying to ram them together but the little whelp can't get it through his thick head that they don't fit"

"Very philosophical" She said jokingly but inside her emotions were running high.

He closed his eyes briefly then opened them again "Ever thought that maybe...that maybe we are meant to stay away from each other?"

"It's funny, I never thought you would be one to let anything other than you shape your destiny" She looked down at him "I thought you didn't live by the rules, Spike?"

"I'm gettin' old, Buffy. Maybe it's time to settle down with a nice pair of slippers and a smoking jacket and just let society win" Spike sighed.

Buffy grinned "I can't see you in slippers"

He chuckled but did not say anymore instead he lifted his other hand and place it on top of hers making Buffy feel like her hand was in a Spike hand sandwich. The Slayer carefully removed her hand from in-between his two hands. Spike looked up at her and she looked down at him and then something changed in his eyes.

Suddenly he sat up fluidly no sign of his earlier lethargic state. Buffy's surprise deepened when he grabbed her arms with his hands and leaned in viper-quick nestling his face in the junction of her neck and shoulder. Buffy instantly tensed because Spike was still a vampire and he was probably not in his right mind.

"Spike?" She breathed.

It was then she realized that as she listened hard that he was _sniffing _her. Buffy grabbed his face with her hands and pulled it away from her to look into his eyes, she saw that his pupils were dilating rapidly.

"What are you doing?" The Slayer asked looking at him with a stunned expression on her face.

"Your scent...it's delectable" He gave her a devilish grin she had not seen on him for a long while.

She frowned but felt herself blush "What? What's gotten into you?"

"You tell me" Spike whispered hoarsely and kissed her hard.

Buffy jerked back from the crush of lips in surprise and she scrambled backward and up so she was standing looking down at him kneeling on the bed now. The Slayer knew as soon as she saw his eyes that Spike wasn't in his right mind.

She took a step back and Spike jumped up into a crouched position like a tiger ready to pounce. He watched her with hungry eyes and they did not stray from her as she slowly walked backward and to the left towards the door. His fists clenched her cobalt blue sheets and she had time to think that they matched the color of his eyes.

The Slayer held her hands out to him "Spike, I'd prefer it if you didn't look at me like that"

"Like what?" His voice was hushed and smooth.

"Like you want to wash me down with a nice Chianti"

Spike let out a low, slightly menacing sounding chuckle and she had heard him laugh like that in the past when he had been her enemy "I don't want to eat you, ducks"

"That's good to know"

"I want to do somethin' _much_ more fun" His eyes flashed and Buffy backed up quickly her back hitting the door.

Buffy let her hand slide across the door to the handle but Spike was up in a flash pinning her to the door and holding her hands up above her head. Their chests were pressed together as were their thighs and his face was so close to hers the tips of their noses were brushing. If he had needed to breathe she would have felt his breath on her face.

The Slayer could take Spike in a fight if it came down to it and she knew that but she really didn't want to hurt him because she knew it wasn't _him_ that was acting this way. However, if worse came to worse she would have to smack him down if he needed it.

Buffy looked into his eyes "Don't be an idiot, Spike"

"That's all I've ever been" Spike smiled.

"No, no you're not stupid" She whispered and tried to ignore their close proximity and the way it made her heart beat way too fast "And you can fight this...please, fight this. You came back for a reason"

"Yeah, so I could have you one last time" He grinned, licked his lips.

"No. You came back because you are _needed, _you are...you're _wanted_"

His eyes flashed "So, I _am_ wanted? That's good" He arched his hips into hers and she felt her eyes widen.

"I didn't mean like that" She turned her face away from his as he leaned in to kiss her and instead he settled for licking a wet line down her jawbone "You have to fight the poison, Spike"

Spike just grunted and began to nuzzle her neck and she tensed even more but it wasn't just because he was a vampire it was because it felt good. Suddenly Buffy was propelled into him as the door at her back was opened and knocked into her. They both ended up sprawled in a heap on the bed with Buffy on top.

"Oh!" A voice at the door "Sorry to interrupt"

They both turned to look but he still didn't let go of her arms. Willow stood in the doorway looking like she was trying very hard to keep a neutral face. Buffy tried to pull herself free of Spike discreetly but he would not let go.

Willow gave a flustered smile "I'll come back later..."

"Willow –" Buffy started.

"No, don't _go_, Red" Spike let go of Buffy and she fell to the bed a little disorientated as he rose fluidly and crossed over to her friend "Come in, join us"

Willow's eyes flickered over his shoulder to Buffy "Uh, Buffy...?"

"It's the poison, go Willow!" Buffy yelled and got off the bed.

The witch hesitated and in that moment Spike was on her and had grabbed her around the waist and rammed her backward against the door closing it again and pinning Willow in much the same way he had done to Buffy earlier. Willow let out a small, sharp shriek and grabbed at Spike's shoulders as he buried his face in her hair and neck just like he had done to Buffy.

"You all smell so good" He groaned.

Buffy grabbed him from behind and wrenched him off of Willow throwing him back down on the bed. She turned and stood next to Willow and put a comforting hand on her arm. Spike shook his head as if dazed. He blinked and rubbed at his eyes as if not quite believing what he was seeing.

"Buffy?" He looked at her, afraid.

"Spike?" She narrowed her eyes; suspicious "Are you...you?"

The vampire frowned "Who else would I be?"

Buffy let out a deep breath and turned to Willow "It is the poison making him act this way, isn't it?"

"I...I..." Willow was still a little shaken but then she took a breath "It makes sense. His specific purpose was to mate with the female water feral demon, right? So, I guess it makes him..."

"Want to bang everything in sight?"

"Everything female at least," Willow nodded "Looks like"

Spike stood slowly drawing their attention back to him "What the hell are you talking about?"

Buffy let out a long, deep breath and knew she would have to tell him now. She turned to Willow and gave her a look; the witch nodded and left but only after Buffy assured her that she could handle him. Then the Slayer closed the door behind the redhead and turned to Spike who was looking at her impatient and a little fearful. He knew it wasn't good news, it never was.

She took his hand and sat them both down on the end of the bed slowly and carefully and then turned to look at him and his anxiety was palpable.

"Remember down by the lake?" Buffy said softly.

"How could I forget," Spike smiled gently and looked at her.

She felt the heat in her cheeks and let out a long breath "No, I mean...the demon"

"Oh" Spike nodded "The one I killed?"

"Yeah. Well, it turns out that that spine it stuck in you is making you...change" She looked into his blue eyes.

He took a moment "Change"

"Into a..."

"Into what?"

"Into a demon"

A/N: How will Spike react to this news? Find out in the next installment. Man, I love doing that! Reviews please, you know they're my addiction. Lot more Spuffy to come. Which is always a good thing, right?


	14. Throwing Wood on the Fire

A/N: Here is chapter 14, as promised. Thanks for all the reviews – keep 'em coming. I left on a cliffhanger again because I'm nasty life that. So, why the hell are you reading this? The story! The story!

Spike let out a low chuckle, looked down at the bedspread "I'm already a demon, Buffy"

The Slayer looked at him as he mimicked the sentiments that Giles had told her last night and she shook her head, closed her eyes and let out a long, deep breath "Well, this is a completely

different kind of cookie"

"So, what...I'm changing into a water feral demon?"

"That's the gist"

"And...and..." His voice started to quaver so he cleared his throat, sat up straighter "So, this means I'm gonna, what, try and shag every girl in the area?"

Buffy shook her head and shifted a little closer to him, squeezed his hand "No. No. We'll figure out a way to stop the change"

"But till then I'm a danger to you" Spike looked up, his eyes were shining with water "I don't want to try and do..._that_ to you again"

"Spike, don't think like that"

"You should go" He pulled his hand roughly away from her and stood, taking steps away from her with a serious look on his face "I mean it, Buffy"

She stood slowly, her eyes not leaving his "This is my house, Spike. I'm not going anywhere"

"Fine! I'll go then, get out of town before I hurt someone" He started towards the door.

Buffy made it to the door before him and folded her arms over her chest giving him a hard look that matched her mood "You can't leave. We need to cure you"

He tilted his head, his own hard look now on his face "You found anything to reverse it?"

"Not yet"

"Not ever, you mean," Spike sighed throwing his arms out "I've heard of this before, you know. Humans getting turned into demons and there never was a cure, it's no different in this case"

"Yes," Buffy said firmly "it is"

"How's that then?"

"The other people didn't have us working to save them" She said "And, besides, you know what happened to Giles and that turned out okay"

Spike let out a grunt of frustration "_That _was a bloody spell! A different cup of tea, luv. Look, I have to go or I'll just end up hurting you"

"You'll hurt me if you leave" She said softly, almost a whisper but she knew he heard it.

He took one step toward her then stopped; stood swaying a little "I don't want to end up attacking you again, Buffy"

"I won't let you. I can take care of myself, you know that"

"Yeah. I know that. Doesn't make me feel any better though"

Buffy motioned to the bed "You should rest"

"That's your bed" He replied "I...I'm meant to be sleeping on the couch"

She smiled at the sweetness of him "Spike, I really think a bed is the best place to rest in this case"

Spike folded his arms over his chest uneasily "Giles and...and Willow...and Xander...Dawn...they'd all clobber me to death if I slept here"

"No they won't. You slept here last night and you're still walking"

"That's because I was practically unconscious," He took a step back from her "They...they won't want me here if I'm up and about and attacking you and Willow"

Buffy took steps toward him and he backed up as she did so, his back hitting the wall till he could back up no more "This is my cottage. I can have guests here. I'm an adult and I _am_ aloud to have _boys_ around to stay over, Spikey" She smiled wryly "Giles isn't my father"

"Yeah, well...I'm hardly a boy" Spike snorted looking off to the side and not into her eyes because she was standing so close "And whatever you say 'bout him, Giles is still gonna disapprove"

She shrugged "So? Since when have you cared what Giles thought? He disapproved when I slept in the basement with you back when the Potentials had invaded my house and he disapproved of how I felt about you...Spike, he tried to have you killed because he thought you were leading me away from the mission. That didn't make you keep your distance from me, why should this?"

"I don't _want_ to keep my distance but I'm a danger to you, so maybe I _should_ keep my distance"

"No"

"I don't get a say in this?"

"No"

Spike shook his head and let out a long breath "You are one bossy dame, Summers"

"That's how you like me" Buffy looked at him suggestively then took a step back "We will find a cure for this thing, Spike, and then once you're back to your old self we can...spend some...time together"

He walked over and sat on the edge of the bed lightly, looked at her "What will we do when we...spend time?"

Buffy saw that he needed reassurance that this was going to be okay, that he was going to be okay. She smiled and walked over sitting next to him on the bed but not too close just a friendly distance.

"We can do whatever you want," She said softly "There must be something you missed about England"

Spike shrugged slowly "I did...I do kind of want to see London again but that's...it's too far"

"No, no it's not. We can catch a train and make a day of it...or a _night_ of it"

"Like in L.A? Goin' to clubs?" He asked eyes hopeful but still guarded.

Buffy nodded "Yeah. Except this time without the whole 'me getting kidnapped and becoming a tasty beverage for vampires' deal. We can do some dancing, some..."

"Romancing?" Spike smiled jokingly.

"Uh..." She shifted uncomfortably on the bed.

Spike's face turned serious again and he leaned across to her "I was jokin', Buffy"

"I know" She smiled softly "But it's not funny"

He shrugged "Well, you either laugh 'bout these sorts of things or you cry 'bout them"

"So, we laugh?"

"Well, I've done enough crying over you over the years I don't fancy embarrassing myself any more than I have to"

Buffy looked at him "You're the only man I have ever seen cry"

"Yeah, rub it in won't you?" Spike turned and looked at the door away from her.

"No, I...I meant that in a good way" She put her hand tentatively on his shoulder "You're the only guy that has ever been completely honest about the way he feels and that...that means something to me"

He looked at her almost shyly "Yeah, well..."

"You should get some sleep," Buffy said letting him off the hook.

"Yeah, changing species is tiring work"

He looked down at himself as if for the first time and realized he was only in his jeans and nothing else. Spike looked up at Buffy and she stood from the bed and took a step back making it clear that she would not crowd him. Spike looked up at her and shook his head then he opened his mouth to say something but closed it.

"What is it, Spike?"

"I was goin' to ask if you'd stay with me but...but that's not a good idea considering" He scratched the back of his head as a nervous gesture.

Buffy smiled gently and kicked off her boots then she walked over to her wardrobe and pulled out her pajamas glancing over her shoulder at Spike who turned away as he realized he shouldn't be watching her. She slipped her clothes off and pulled the nightwear on which was a pair of flannel drawstring pants and a loose white T-shirt. The Slayer walked past him and then into the bathroom to do her business and tie her hair up in a band.

When she entered the room again she found Spike had not moved from his previous position and she walked over to stand in front of him.

"Maybe we shouldn't," The vampire squirmed a little "Kind of like throwing wood on the fire, luv"

The Slayer looked down at him "I'm tired. I haven't slept all night and you need to rest. Seems logical to me. Besides, if you try anything I'll just knock you unconscious"

"Sounds like a plan" Spike smiled at her gratefully.

There was a light knock at the door and they both turned to it then Buffy called for whoever it was to come in. The door swung open slowly and Giles stood in the doorway. He took in the scene very quickly – Buffy in her nightwear, Spike half-naked and sitting on the bed. Her Watcher folded his arms and let out a longsuffering sigh.

"Did you find something?" The Slayer asked hopefully.

He gave her a quick shake of his head "No. I see you're taking my advice about getting some rest. This isn't exactly what I had in mind though, Buffy"

"Sorry to disappoint"

"He's right, Buffy, maybe this wasn't such a good –" Spike started.

Buffy put her hand up to silence him but kept her eyes on Giles "I'm tired and I need to look after Spike this is the best way to do both"

"I wouldn't consider this the _best_ way," Giles countered "Especially after what I just heard from Willow"

The Slayer shifted uneasily from both feet "I can take care of that if it happens again. I'll...I'm the Slayer, _a_ Slayer, I can stop him from..."

"If you think this is what you must do I will not stand in your way," He rubbed the bridge of his nose wearily "Just...just make sure that you call for us if anything should go...awry"

Buffy gave him a brisk nod "I will. Keep working on it, please?"

"Of course" Giles gave a small smile then turned and shot Spike a warning glare.

The Watcher turned and left and Spike turned to the Slayer and lifted his eyebrows. Buffy shrugged and then started to work the cricks out of her neck. Spike turned to the bedside table and opened the draw pulling out a stake and holding it out to Buffy.

"What am I supposed to do with that? 'Cos if you've developed some kind of kinky –" The Slayer started lighthearted.

"Stake me. If I do anything...just do it" Spike still held it out to her.

Buffy looked into his eyes "Okay" She took the stake and held it firmly in her hands.

Spike nodded as if satisfied and then he cleared his throat awkwardly as he slid into the bed first under the cobalt sheets that still reminded the Slayer of Spike's own eyes. Buffy crawled into the bed after him and lay down pulling the sheets over herself. It was still daylight outside and that may mean she could find it difficult to sleep. She was soon proved wrong as she dozed off as if she didn't have a care in the world.

A/N: More Spuffy because you demanded it! And also because I LIKE it. It's really easy to write the two characters of Buffy and Spike and how they interact. A big chunk of this is down to Sarah Michelle Gellar and James Marsters and their ability to act their arses off! Round of applause for SMG and JM, please! Oh, all right, and one for me too. Thanks.


	15. Her Long Haul Guy

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A/N: Voila! Another chapter for you.

Willow was worried. Anyone who knew her would be able to see this from a mile off. She had the crinkled forehead, the dipped eyebrows, and the intense stare – the whole shebang. Willow was sitting in the living room of Giles' house staring at a dead body. The corpse of the water-feral demon. Giles and Xander had recovered it from the lake as they thought its body might secrete anti-venom. Well, actually, _Giles_ had thought that...Xander had just grumbled about having to go to work smelling all fishy.

If the corpse did have some kind of natural counter-venom stuff then Willow hadn't found it. However she wasn't on best form. Spike attacking her a few hours ago had really shaken her up. Just when they were all starting to think a little better of him. Willow knew it wasn't his fault, it was the poison in him and that he couldn't really be held accountable. Her brain told her this but her emotions told her that Spike was still a vampire and still capable of hurting people.

It made her nervous for Buffy. Her friend was over in the cottage with Spike not in his most friendly persona and she could be getting attacked right now. Willow knew Buffy could take care herself but she was still slightly wigged.

__

Focus Rosenberg She told herself as she looked down at the body. The demon was strange that was for sure. Its body shape was essentially human – two arms, two legs, a torso, a head etc. It even had long, white colored hair that dusted its lower back. The differences were that the body was blue. A light, sky blue that would have been almost pretty under other circumstances. The skin also had a slightly oil consistency to it, she assumed so that it was more streamlined in the water. It had gill slits either side of its neck and it's sides. The only other really fish type thing about it was the webbing between it's fingers and toes. The demon had blue eyes. Completely blue with no whites – it was a dark blue that contrasted with its light blue skin. There were no scales, no fins. Willow was kind of disappointed by that. Until she remembered Spike was changing into one of them.

The witch picked up the right arm of the prone demon and turned it over so that she could too the underside of it. There at the base of the hand, in the wrist, was a small hole. This was where the quill had come from that had struck Spike. If the cure was in the dead body it would be somewhere here. Willow bit her lip and picked up a handy scalpel. Good thing Giles collected medical instruments...she didn't want to think _too_ much about that.

She cut into the wrist vertically all the way down to the crook of the elbow. Dark blue blood seeped to the surface but did not pump out due to the lack of circulation. Willow set the scalpel down on the table and then she pulled on some rubber gloves, also courtesy of Giles' weird habits, and used a pair of tongs to separate the skin. It was kind of like a heart bypass operation...only on the wrist...and on a demon.

Willow frowned at the inner workings of the demon's arm. There were three quills stored in this arm one after the other. Willow picked up the scalpel again and gently prodded the front spine. She jumped and yelped as it shot out of the arm and into the cushion next to her on the chair. Willow's eyes widened and she put the demon's arm down carefully. The demon was laying on the coffee table so its arm flopped over the side very ungraciously.

She picked up her tongs again and pulled the quill from the cushion. It dripped black poison on the rug. Giles would kill her. Willow pushed that to the back of her mind as she picked up a small bottle and let all of the poison in the quill drop down into it. When she was sure she had gotten every last drop Willow disposed of the quill and capped the bottle with the poison on it.

The redhead looked at the bottle of murky liquid and the frowned and asked aloud suddenly "Since when did I get stuck with the gross jobs?"

Of course no one answered because no one was around. Willow sighed and walked into the kitchen peeling off the rubber gloves and throwing them in the bin. She washed her hands and made her herself a cup of tea. Looking out of the back window she could see Buffy's cottage. The curtains of the bedroom were closed.

Willow thought about the whole Spike and Buffy situation. They had a history to rival a lot of couples that was for sure. There had been the mortal enemy years, then the bickering years, the grudging ally year, the secret sex year and then...the last year in Sunnydale. The year when everyone noticed how close those two got even if they didn't themselves.

The witch would often wander around the house and pick up on stray whispered conversations from the Potentials. They were curious about their leader's _'thing'_ with the vampire. Willow smiled. The Potentials weren't the only ones who were curious. She and Xander had discussed it a few times. Xander usually disapproving but gradually he softened to the idea of the two of them.

Willow had never really talked to Buffy about Spike. No one had, really. It was strange because the two girls used to share everything. The latest development with Angel, the newest sweet thing that Riley had said, the poopheadiness of Parker...but no Spike talk. Unless it was of how much of a pig he was.

Willow supposed that Buffy wanted Spike for herself. Just like Willow had once wanted Tara to herself. She had told Tara she wanted something that was hers. That must have been what was between Buffy and Spike.

During the last year in Sunnydale when emotions ran high and sometimes they all forgot whom their loyalties should belong to, Spike had been Buffy's one constant. It made the witch ashamed to realize that. When everyone else had bailed on the Slayer, he had stayed true.

He was hers.

It soon became an unspoken thing between the once enemies, Willow realized. Wherever Buffy went Spike was close behind. When she was giving _another_ inspirational speech he was at her side, nodding and at least looking like he was listening intently. Spike's love for Buffy was the means that had resulted in his saving the world.

It had taken this remembrance of times past for Willow Rosenberg to figure something out.

It just hit her.

Spike was Buffy's long-haul guy.

Looking up at the window of the cottage where they both slept she wondered if Buffy had worked this out herself yet. Knowing Buffy – nice girl but not so bright – she had yet to fathom it.

Willow finished her tea, knew it was time to get back to work. She picked up the vial of poison and knew it was time for a _lot_ of book reading.

As she was walking back to the living room she spared a glance over her shoulder at the cottage.

The Slayer and her right-hand man.

Willow grinned and shook her head, _both fools for love_.

A/N: As usual this is the time I beg for more reviews and nothing has changed. More reviews please. I'm kind of a glutton for praise.


	16. A Little Tete a Tete with a Vampire

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A/N: More Spuffiness because YOU demanded it! Thanks to everyone for the reviews. You are all my muses.

Spike liked to watch Buffy sleep. He was well aware of how much like a stalker that would sound to most people. But he didn't care. When she slept she got this wonderful wistful smile on her face. Like she was at peace. He had often wondered what she dreamed of – was it of heaven? Did she still want to be back there? Or was it of loved ones that had passed on? Spike knew it wasn't really his business. Didn't stop him pondering it though.

The Slayer and the vampire had only really shared an actual bed once before. The night that he had given her his rousing speech on her being 'the one'. Even when they had been having sex they had never made it to the bed. As far as he was concerned the time Buffy had been invisible didn't count because she hadn't really been there. He looked back on times like that and shook his head, wondering what he had been thinking.

Well, no. He _knew_ what he had been thinking. It went something along the lines of – Buffy, sex, with me. With me, sex, Buffy. Totally incoherent thoughts. Now he had his soul he saw how damaging that kind of relationship had been to both Buffy and himself. Of course just because he had a soul didn't mean that he didn't want her.

He always wanted her.

The toxin in his body was pushing that want to the surface far more than he felt comfortable with. Spike's main concern at that moment was that she was safe from him because if he hurt her again he would have to kill himself. He couldn't bear it.

Whenever he thought of that night in the bathroom a chill ran down his spine. Had that really been him? The answer was always the same, of course. Yes. It had been him. He had been upset and angry but it had still been him. Some corner of his mind had told him _this isn't right, what are you doing? _ But he had ignored it.

Something he would regret for the rest of his life.

And though Buffy made a show of how it didn't matter anymore Spike still saw the way she sometimes trembled when he got near. It wasn't the good type of tremble. He remembered back in Sunnydale when he had been staying at Xander's house an incident that would stay with him. Spike had been in his room (his closet) and he had heard Buffy and Willow come around to hang with Xander. So, he had opened his door a crack to watch the Slayer. They had been watching the telly. Some made-for-TV movie. About a husband abusing his wife. About rape. Buffy had seized up on the chair, her jaw tightening and a shake running through her whole body. Xander had quickly changed the station much to Willow's protest. No one had told Willow about it at that time obviously. Buffy turned to look at Spike's door almost instinctively. The vampire had been a fraction of a second too slow to shut it and he knew that she was aware he had been watching her.

They had never spoken about the attack. Spike had never entered the bathroom in the Summers' house again. Buffy had tensed when a Potential one day asked if the dent in the bathroom wall was from a fight with a demon. She had answered with an affirmative nod.

A demon.

That was what he was, what he would always be.

Giles' had been right. Spike wasn't healthy for Buffy. The vampire never thought he would agree with the Watcher about anything. Times do change. Demons do not. That was what they taught you these days.

__

"The animal inside? Always the same"

That was what she had said. What she had said when talking to the Potentials about _him_ and his kind.

"Hey, what's with the brooding-face?" Buffy piped suddenly awake and making him start "You should be careful, you could turn into Angel"

Spike blinked, looked down at the Slayer and recovered, he snorted "Not bloody likely. I could never use that much hair gel"

"Right. Because your hair is smoothed down _naturally_" Buffy grinned, pulling herself up into a half sitting position.

"Oi!" Spike protested but it was half-hearted.

She reached across and brushed her fingers over his forehead "I like your hair kind of curly. Makes you look...I don't know, more –"

"Human?" He interjected.

"I was gonna say boyish" She replied, her green eyes looking him over.

Spike brushed her hand aside and shifted toward the edge of the bed "You probably shouldn't touch me. I'll try and jump you again"

Buffy smirked, inclining her head towards him "Spike, you really shouldn't promise such a thing unless you're gonna deliver. Not fair raising a girl's hopes like that"

He looked at her, face completely serious "This isn't funny, Buffy"

"You either laugh or you cry, right? That's your philosophy if I'm correct" She tilted her head "What's up, Spike? Apart from the whole changing species thing"

He snorted "Yeah, because that's such a blasé thing. Ever considered that might be the only thing bothering me? That this time tomorrow I might have scales and a soddin' mermaids tail"

"Technically, it would be a _merman's_ tail" The Slayer informed him, nodding with her own clever wisdom.

"My mistake then. That's much better. A merman" Spike sat up "Great, I can be all manly while I'm sleeping with the fishes"

Buffy giggled.

He whipped his head around to look at her "Something funny, luv?"

"No. No...okay, it's just 'sleeping with the fishes'...?" Buffy burst out into snorting laughter then calmed herself as she saw the hurt look on his face "I'm sorry. But if you just add an Italian accent to that it would be the Godfather minus the Brando"

Spike tried not to smile. He really did. He was supposed to be mad at her for being so insensitive. But he could never glower at her for long. Just seeing her made him want to smile. It would be a sin to scowl at a face as lovely as hers. Spike chuckled to himself. Just when he thought he had gotten rid of all traces of his 'William' persona his brain would come up with something like that.

He froze when Buffy reached over and ran her fingertips across his mouth, tracing his lips.

"I like it when you smile, I mean really genuinely smile. Sure, the moody bad-boy thing has its place too but..." She looked at him softly "But I like it when you smile"

Spike reached up and took her hand, rubbing his thumb against her palm "I like it when you laugh. Don't see it much"

"Don't have much call for the giggles"

"Not even now? When you can live a semi-normal life?"

Buffy shrugged "Got no one to share my life with. Sure there's Dawn and Giles, Willow and Xander but..."

"But no one just for you"

"Bingo" She said quietly and a little melancholic.

Spike turned his whole body to face her "What? There's no English blokes trying to get a piece of you?"

Buffy grinned and poked him in the chest "Only the one. Although I'm not so sure he's interested anymore"

"Oh, he's interested" Spike countered "Just not sure if he should be"

Buffy looked down at the bed, paused then looked back up "I missed you...when you were gone"

"Did you now?"

"Of course," She watched his face "Spike, I thought you were dead and you never told me otherwise. A call would have been nice. Instead of having to find out from Andrew of all people"

"I didn't want to disappoint you"

"Why would I have been disappointed?"

He rubbed his forehead, sighed "Because I saved the world...even if I did just wear a necklace. I saved the world, I was partly redeemed. Then I was back. Just Spike. Having to haunt Angel, no higher purpose. Who wouldn't be disappointed?"

"I wouldn't" Buffy's voice was hushed.

Spike watched her face carefully. She was being genuine. Buffy Summers wasn't disappointed he was just Spike. She had missed him. To say he had missed her would have been pointless. It was a well-known fact. Spike was in love with her. Would be forever. It was just one of the things the world took for granted.

Sun gotta shine. Birds gotta fly. Spike gotta love Buffy.

Simple as that.

"Besides you did more than just wear a necklace. You had the courage to die to save the world, a world which hasn't done you many favors" The Slayer carried on "You saw it through. I was so proud of you for that. Proud...and pissed off"

Spike was still glowing from the proud compliment "Pissed off?"

"You went and died on me. Just when things were getting interesting" She smiled slowly.

He arched an eyebrow "Interesting, eh?"

Buffy just gave him a look.

"I'm not so much a champion, luv" Spike said self-deprecating again "And I know it. When I died...I didn't go anywhere at first. Just one minute I was burning up the next I was in Angel's office. After that when I was a ghost I started...fading away"

The Slayer frowned, worried "Fading away?"

"Disappearing. Getting pulled back..."

"To where?"  
"It wasn't the place champions go" Spike shuddered "I've felt the pull of hell, Buffy. I've felt it and I'm scared. Saving the world once isn't enough. I'm still damned. But...But I don't want to go _there_, Buffy, I don't want to go..."

Buffy grabbed his hand, squeezed it "You're not going anywhere"

"If I...if I try something you're gonna have to kill me" Spike looked at her with scared little boy eyes.

"Not gonna happen"

"I won't let myself hurt you again" He whispered.

She leaned closer to him "I'm not exactly the token girl victim, Spike. I can handle myself and I can handle you...although lately, the handling has been far too brief"

Spike looked at her, a little surprised at that.

"Haven't been _handled_ for so long" She sighed, looking up at the ceiling.

He leaned in closer to her too "So, the last _handling_ was..."

"Yeah" Buffy glanced at him, looked away and smiled wryly "Even you've had more handling then me. What with Anya and, I guess, there's been others..."

"Just Harmony" Spike mumbled, sighing.

Her eyes widened "Harmony? Again?"

"I'd just got recorporealized" He shook his head "Not thinking too clearly"

"Men" Buffy chided him.

He placed his index finger and thumb on her chin, leveled her face to his "Didn't mean a damn thing. Just like Anya. In my heart I've always been faithful to you"

"I don't know whether to think that's sweet," The Slayer looked him in the eyes "Or a line all guys use on girls when they've been screwing around"

"I'd go with the former. I'm a sweet guy"

"Not a word I'd associate with you often"

Spike inched closer to her on the bed "And what words would you associate with me?"

"Sarcastic. Annoying...honest, real, mildly attractive, far too arrogant –" She ran off the list on her fingers.

"Mildly attractive?" Spike grinned, whispered in her ears "Wanna hear some words I have for you?"

"Not if they're unseemly" Buffy announced.

"_Unseemly_? You have lived with Giles far too long" The vampire arched an eyebrow "Can't give you a list of words anyway"

She looked almost disappointed "Why not?"

"Because I don't have the words to describe you"

The Slayer actually blushed. Score one for the peroxide vampire. He smiled at this rare show of girlishness from her. She was always feminine but hardly ever girly. And he liked that. Couldn't cope with the girly ones...his _thing_ with Harmony attested to that. Still, a few moments like these he could appreciate with Buffy.

She gave him a playful slap on the arm "Charmer"

"I try my best" He pouted with a hint of a smile.

There was a slight knocking at the door breaking the spell between them. Both of them gazed at each other a moment longer, not wanting to end the moment.

"Buffy?" It was Willow.

The Slayer sighed and pulled herself out of bed, walked to the door and opened it "Hey, did you find something?"

"I don't know. Maybe. I'm not sure" Willow stumbled "I kind of need you to come take a look at this"

Spike started to get off the bed too.

Buffy put a hand up to him "Spike you go back to bed. It's only just turning dark and you need to rest"

"Screw that! It's about me" He replied.

She turned to face him "Please. You need all the strength you can get to keep the demon from rising. I promise I'll come and tell you right away"

The vampire let out a long sigh but then, after a moment, nodded. Buffy smiled slightly at him and then followed Willow out of the room and out of the cottage. Spike rubbed his head and pushed himself backward onto the bed. He sat there for a minute before lying down and closing his eyes. He was a little glad Buffy was gone. Give him a reprieve. He had been fighting extra hard to keep the water-feral demon's libido down.

Spike bit down on his bottom lip and started to breathe in and out slowly. Being a vampire he didn't _need_ to do this but it calmed him a little. His temperature was rising (which was, in itself very bad, because vampire's, as a rule didn't have a body temperature).

He just hoped by the time Buffy came back he would have this all under control.

A/N: What WILL happen next? Find out in the next exciting installment of...HOME TRUTHS! Keep the reviews a-coming.


	17. It's Always Darkest Before Dawn

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A/N: You are all gonna hate me for this chapter but it was needed to further the story. And, hey, it's not under my control – Buffy, Spike, Giles etc are taking over! I think this chapter gets a PG-13 rating or possibly an R if you're very sensitive. Mild angsty type things and some violence. Don't want to give more away, read on....

Dawn entered the house with a sigh, dropping her bag on the floor and kicking her shoes off. School was such a drag sometimes. Sure, she loved the school in England because she could leave in a few months if she wanted to and because she was actually popular. Being American set her apart from the other students but in a good way. They all asked her about what it was like to live in America and she was getting some pretty favorable looks from the guys as well. That she liked. What she didn't like was having to go to school when one of her friends was hurt. Spike had been a close and dear friend to her until things had gone wrong in Sunnydale. Now, though, she felt that he had earned her forgiveness at least in part. She didn't want to see him turn into some freaky demon thing.

She didn't think it was fair that Spike saved the world and got a soul just for it to end like this – swimming off into the great sea.

Of course, Buffy wouldn't let that happen. She would probably lock him in a tank until they could find a cure. It made Dawn feel weird to think of her sister feeding Spike with those little flake things you gave to your pet goldfish.

Dawn heard voices as she entered the living room. Giles was standing leaning against one wall, with glasses in hand and weary expression. Willow and Buffy were sitting on the couch in the middle of a heated discussion on everyone's favorite topic; Spike.

They all looked up as she entered.

"What's up?" Dawn asked, then added hopefully "Did you find a cure?"

Willow shook her head "No...no not yet. We're working on it"

"What's that?" She saw a vial of black liquid in the witch's hand.

She glanced down at it then back up "The poison from the water-feral demon. I extracted it from its arm quill"

"Eww" Dawn pulled a face "So, what for? Does that thing hold the cure?"

Buffy stood "We hope so. Willow says that it's a pretty strange compound though"

"Yes," Giles pushed away from the wall "It seems that due to the demon's poison's metamorphic ability the cells in it keep multiplying and changing. It could be very difficult to specifically reverse its polarity to that of vampire physiology"

Dawn gave him a blank look.

"To turn the poison instead into one that can change a creature into a vampire. Like Spike" Giles explained in simpler terms.

"Oh, right," Dawn turned to Willow "Will it...I mean, if you can do that...will he lose his soul? Just be a regular vamp again?"

Buffy shook her head; arms crossed "No. No"

"Well, Buffy," Willow said gently "We don't actually know that..."

"No, Willow. Spike's soul has nothing to do with his physi...physo...whatever! It's inside _him_ it's part of him and it can't be taken away" Buffy nodded her head "It _can't_"

Giles stepped forward "I think you're being a little naive..."

"Yeah? Well, I think you're being a _lot_ annoying" Buffy countered.

Dawn rolled her eyes and decided to tune the rest of the conversation out. Buffy and Giles had been fighting so much since Spike had come back it had almost become a taken for granted part of life. She slipped out of the room and walked down the hall into the kitchen and then out of the back door. Her feet crunched on the gravel as she made her way over to the cottage. She just wanted to see if Spike was all right, he was probably frightened going through this alone.

The door to the cottage had been torn off but was now fixed thanks to Xander. Dawn pushed against it and wasn't surprised to see Buffy hadn't locked it. She never locked doors. That was going to get someone in trouble one day. Dawn shut the door behind her and made her way through the living room and up the stairs to Buffy's bedroom.

Dawn wished she could have a whole cottage to herself. There would be no was that she would still want to sleep in the main body of the house then. No way. The sight of Andrew and Giles in the morning in their Spiderman PJ's and robe, respectively, bickering about being Watchers was not a pretty sight.

Dawn reached the top of the stairs and knocked on the door. There was a slight groan from inside. Dawn opened the door and stepped inside. The room was pitch black – the curtains firmly shut and no other light coming from a lamp or anything. It was darker in the room then it was out in the English night.

"Spike?" She whispered stepping cautiously further into the room.

"Ohh..." There was a groan "Dawn...get out...not...ohh..."

She frowned and looked around. She heard a loud thud and jumped. Dawn saw a flash of platinum hair on the floor by the bed. Spike had obviously rolled off the bed and hit the floor. She started to go to him when he let out a loud swear word and told her to stay away.

Dawn was worried about him; he could be badly hurt or changing into the fish thing right now. Something in the back of her mind told her to go and run and get Buffy but then she changed her mind. It was Spike and he might be hurt. She walked over to him and crouched down, laid a hand on his bare back.

"Spike, are you okay?"

To her surprise he let out a long laugh "Oh, I'm better than okay, Dawnie"

He whipped his face around to look at her and there was no Spike in his eyes. They were empty and his face full of an emotion Dawn had never seen on a guy looking at her but she recognized it nevertheless – desire. It caused her to jump up and take steps backwards away from him. Something wasn't right here. Something was _really_ wrong.

Spike flipped up onto his feet in one fluid movement, his eyes fixed on her. A sharp smiled stretched across his lips and he slowly, calmly, deliberately started to walk towards her. It was more of a swagger really, one of a hunter. And she was the deer caught in the headlights.

Dawn turned to run like her mind was screaming at her and made it almost to the door before Spike grabbed her around the waist and threw her across the room. She hit the bed in a semi-soft landing. There was only one thing left to do.

Dawn screamed like hell.

Spike was on her in a second slapping his hand on her mouth and using his other to pin her by the shoulder to the bed. He was leaning all his weight against her and Dawn couldn't move at all.

"Hello, Dawn," Spike licked his lips "Always wanted to be thought of as a real woman, didn't you? Well, now's your chance"

Spike leaned down into her and Dawn decided to take action. She was scared as hell and her heart was hammering in her chest but she was Dawn Summers and she wasn't just going to lie there and take it. As he leaned his face down to hers she brought both her hands up and slapped them against Spike's ears at the same time.

The vampire roared and threw his head back clutching his ears. Buffy had taught Dawn that move – hurt like a bitch apparently.

Dawn used his distraction and shoved him in the chest with all her strength. Spike toppled from her off the bed and Dawn leapt up and over the end of the bed like she was an Olympic sprinter. She yanked the door open and made it to the top of the stairs when Spike barreled into her from behind. Dawn had time to think _Oh, crap_ before they both went tumbling down the stairs.

She _was defiantly going to bruise_, Dawn decided as she stuck the side of head on a stair and landed at the bottom in a heap with Spike on top of her, _so gonna bruise._ Spike was up in a second, grabbed her, tossed her over his shoulder and carried her back upstairs. Even through her semi-conscious haze Dawn heard the sound of the door downstairs being kicked in and to say she was relieved was a mild way of putting it.

Spike threw her down on the floor as footsteps ran full speed up the stairs. He looked down at Dawn and grinned.

Buffy burst through the door shortly followed by Giles and Willow. The Slayer took in the scene with wide eyes and a quavering lip.

"What the hell...?" Buffy said, trailing off.

Spike turned to her "Slayer. Care to join little sis and me? Turns out she's quite innocent. Or at least she was until I –"

Buffy slapped him around the face so hard the sound echoed through the room. Then she seemed to realize that that wasn't enough as Spike grinned as he turned around to look at her.

"Spanking, eh?" The vampire morphed faces "I _like_ it, Buffy"

Dawn watched as a hurt look crossed Buffy's face before she whirled around and kicked Spike in the gut. He let out a groan and flew backwards into the wall by the window. He grinned. Buffy ran at him and started throwing punches.

Giles and Willow ran to Dawn "Are you alright?"

Dawn couldn't answer as she saw Spike try to make a grope for the Slayer. Buffy ducked out of the way then grabbed him by the shoulders and threw him out of the window. The glass shattered and Spike disappeared outside. A loud thud and a groan shortly followed the sound of braking glass.

Buffy ran over and knelt by Dawn, took her face in her hands "Did he...did he..._do_ anything to you? Did he touch you?"

"...No...no..." She shook her head, cuddling into her sister "What's wrong with him, Buffy? That wasn't Spike, right? It wasn't him"

Buffy stroked her hair "No...no it wasn't....it wasn't"

Dawn looked up and noticed the look on Giles' face. It wasn't a friendly one.

****

A/N: There you have it. It had to be done, I'm sorry. Wait. No I'm not! I am an _artist _and I make no excuse for my art. Keep reviews coming – even if it's hate mail.


	18. Once and For All

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A/N: A short chapter just to bridge the gap. Still review because I am swamped with work and it makes me feel better.

When Spike awoke he immediately knew that he was chained due to the fact that his arms wouldn't move. Sitting up abruptly he groaned as a pain shot down his back and his side. He was in Buffy's bedroom in the guesthouse. It was dark and he was alone. There was a breeze. He looked at the window and saw it was broken, frigid English air drifting through and making his dead skin seem colder.

The window.

Dawn.

Spike let out a long, terrible sounding whimper. He had tried to...to...to Dawn! God, why? Why did this kind of thing keep happening to him? Spike grabbed his head and began to rock back and forth. Never would he hurt Dawn, never...but he done. He had tried to do _worse_.

The rope around his wrists bit into his skin but still he strained against them. He had to get out here. Had to get away from Dawn and Buffy and Willow and everyone so that he wouldn't get the chance to hurt them. Already he could feel the change in himself. He could _see_ the change. His skin was starting to develop a bluish tint. Soon he would be more water-feral than Spike. He had to get out _now_.

The other ends of the ropes were tied to the bedstead. The vampire shook his head. Buffy should have known better than that...unless she was being easy on him because of their history. In which case he definitely had to get out of there otherwise she might hesitate to kill him if she had to.

Spike braced his feet against the bed and yanked on his wrists. The bedpost splintered far too easily. Spike stood, still with his hands bound by rope but free to walk about. The pain was no just a dull ache.

He heard a sound from downstairs. Voices. Buffy and Willow.

Hadn't they learnt their lesson? He was dangerous!

Spike looked around. The window was the only way. The vampire did a run up and then jumped out it into the night. This time he braced himself for the landing and hit the ground in a roll, gravel spraying up around him.

The pain was rehashed and he let out a small, sharp cry.

He heard Buffy shouting inside the cottage. Looked up and saw her staring out of the window. They shared a moment, looking into each other's eyes. Then Buffy disappeared. She was coming after him. Spike scrabbled up and ran as fast as he could arms still bound in front of him.

He crashed through the foliage into a wide-open field. Spike didn't hesitate he ran full pelt across the length of the field and looked back as he entered the heavy clump of trees on the other side. Buffy entered the field and stopped. She looked around and the vampire slid into the shadows.

The Slayer turned on her heel and ran in the opposite direction. Spike let out a useless pent up breath.

He trudged through the muddy ground and then a scent caught his attention. He cocked his head and drew in the delectable smell.

Suddenly Spike knew where he belonged.

Buffy sat on the corner of the couch with her head in her hands. So much had passed in such few hours. She was still reeling from Spike's attack on Dawn and now this? Did Spike have _no_ consideration for how this would hurt her? How all of it would hurt her? Or was the water-feral completely driving him now? She just didn't know.

"Buffy," Willow sat down next to her, put an arm around her "You'll find him"

Giles cleared his throat "If it weren't for the possibility Spike might attack some innocent woman I would have to say perhaps it's best we let him go"

The Slayer froze. Her back muscles tensed and she was sure Willow felt it.

Buffy looked up into the eyes of her Watcher "Giles? Do me a favour and stop being a useless, thoughtless prick! Spike is out there scared and alone, changing into some demon and you're telling me that, if he weren't dangerous, we should just let him go?!"

"Buffy, I just mean –"

She stood suddenly to her full height "I don't want to hear it. If you're not going to help me I don't want you involved"

"This is my house" Giles said.

"Then I'll leave," Buffy grabbed her jacket "I have to find Spike before he does something stupid...er"

Dawn stood in the doorway suddenly, she looked bruised but okay "Where will you go? Spike doesn't know this place. He could be anywhere"

Giles moved towards her "Dawn you should go back to bed you need to rest"

"I want to help"

"Help with what?"

It was Xander. Fresh in from a day at work. Buffy pulled her jacket on. She didn't want to have to deal with Xander and Giles. They had made their skepticism of Spike clear a long time ago. Besides every minute she spent in the house was another minute Spike got further away.

"I have to go now. He...his skin was turning blue" The Slayer said "I have to find him now"

Xander frowned "What's going on?"

"Well, maybe you shouldn't look for Spike..." Willow started.

Buffy looked at her wide-eyed "Willow, I have to find him. I –"

"No! No! I don't mean don't go find him" Willow quickly corrected "I mean I don't think you should be thinking of him as Spike. The demon will be partly driving him now. Think about where the demon would go"

Dawn perked up "A water-feral demon is gonna need some water"

"The lake?" Buffy asked.

"Not likely," Giles replied "They do, as a rule, prefer larger bodies of water. I was very surprised that the demon was in the lake. Spike's instincts will draw him to a river or a reservoir or –"

"The sea" Buffy finished.

There was a beach about twenty minutes from Giles' house. Suddenly Buffy just knew that was where he had gone. The Slayer ran towards the door.

Giles called after her "Buffy, you should take weapons! We should come with you for back-up"

"No. I can't risk you guys," She turned to them as she opened the door "Willow, Giles keep working on the reversal poison. Xander I'm gonna need to take your car. Dawn get back to bed and rest"

Xander pulled his keys out, handed them to her "I'd still like to know what's going on..."

"Willow will fill you in"

Buffy took the key and then turned running out of the door into the night. She sprinted to Xander's car and got in, turned the ignition on. She thanked the stars that she had learned to drive that last year in Sunnydale. Even if she hadn't learnt to drive well. It was more difficult on the English roads because everything was in reverse but Buffy couldn't worry about that. She had a vampire to rescue. That sounded familiar. It seemed to the Slayer she was always rescuing vampires. Sometimes she thought she did it more then killing them.

Buffy peeled out of Giles' premises spraying gravel as she went. She was going over the speed limit but the police were rarely seen around here. The car bumped and joggled her all the way down the small country lanes. The Slayer barely noticed. Her mind was fixed on the mission – secure certain vampire and then kill him for running away.

She shook her head, gritted her teeth. She was so mad at Spike. Not mad for attacking Dawn because she knew it wasn't his fault. She was mad at him for leaving. For not thinking she could handle the changes he was going through. For obviously thinking so little of her as to run away and hide from her.

Buffy shook her head again and tried to clear her thoughts and emotions. She needed to concentrate on the road otherwise she was likely to drive into a bush or something.

The Slayer took a sharp turn into a dirt road that she knew would take her to the beach. She would be there in five minutes...maybe less with the speed she was going. Then she was finally going to sort this thing between her and Spike out once and for all.

****

A/N: Review, my dears, REVIEW!


	19. Brainy McBrains

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A/N: To all my faithful reviewers thank you and keep it coming. So, I guess you're pretty eager to find out what happens. So? What are you waiting for? Get reading!

Xander hung up the phone in the hallway and walked into the living room. Giles and Willow sat on the couch surrounded by a pile of books and the vile of poison that Willow had – ick – removed from the water-feral thing. Xander glanced at the black sticky stuff and grimaced, it reminded him a little too much of melted caviar. Too much of Anya and his not-a-wedding reception...

Anya.

Xander tried not to think of her much, at least not when he wasn't alone. When he was alone he would sit in his chair, drinking his cran-apple and remember the ex-vengeance demon who had almost become his wife. He missed her more then he thought possible. Missed her smile. Missed her money-grabbing attitude. Missed the way she would select her words a shade too precisely. Just missed her, mostly.

Giles looked up finally "So, what did Angel have to say?"

"He said he'd get Wesley right on it" Xander said then frowned "If that's a good thing. Not my choice for Watcher of the year"

Giles smiled slightly "From what I've heard he's...matured a fair bit since we last saw him"

Willow nodded "Yep. He's gone all dark. Told me so himself"

"Does that count? Like, I'm darker then you are?" Xander raised his eyebrows and slumped into a seat, absent-mindedly picking up a heavy book.

The witch smiled and shrugged "I don't know. I beat him though"

Xander gave her a soft slug on the arm "There's our little dark-rooted-wicca"

Willow rolled her eyes. It was good that they could make jokes about it now. Xander found joking was much easier then being serious. He always had done. He looked down at the book which was written in a bizarre language and turned it upside down just to see if it made sense that way. It really didn't. Xander placed the book back on the table and picked up another smaller one written in English. He scratched his head.

"Is it weird that I'm worried for her?" He asked.

Giles removed his glasses, polished them "Buffy? No, not at all. Spike is unstable. Highly dangerous even –"

"No," Xander looked at him sheepishly "I mean, worried that she's gonna..."

"Completely flake out on Spike again?" Willow finished.

Xander nodded.

Giles frowned "What? You two are not against this...?"

Willow shrugged "Not really"

"Xander, you never liked Spike" Giles turned to him.

"I still don't but..." He sighed "And I hate to admit this, but, the guy makes Buffy happy. Haven't you seen the change in her since he came back here with her? She's all giggly and perky. And Buffy perky is not a common enough occurrence, dammit!" He grinned.

Willow smiled "Perky Buffy is of the good. But rarely seen, it's true"

"I don't believe I'm hearing this..." Giles rubbed his brow "You _both_ think that Spike would be good for Buffy? That he could possibly give her what she needs?"

Xander shrugged "How do we know what Buffy needs? We aren't her. If she's hot for the sallow vampire guys with stupid hair, then I guess that's her decision."

"We're her friends, Giles," Willow added "We need to support her in this. Otherwise she'll resent us"

The Watcher nodded and sighed in his very resigned way of sighing. Xander really hoped he would, if not support Buffy then at least just let her be. He didn't like to see Giles and Buffy fighting. They had always kind of been the perfect poster children for a father and daughter relationship. Although they were not related by blood they were joined by something a lot more powerful – kinship. They all were. Buffy – Willow – Xander – Giles. They had been there from the beginning. Team Slay-More to the Rescue!

Xander wondered if Buffy had found Spike yet. If she was trying to talk him down from the ledge, so to speak. As much as it had disgusted Xander when he had first found out about them, he had always been curious about their relationship. Not in a perverted sexy way! Just in a 'what the hell did she see in him' way. It was clearer now, of course. Spike was good now, or at least that's what he acted like. And, he _did_ love Buffy. If you had asked Xander a few years ago the one couple he was sure would never get together it would have been Spike and Buffy. They despised each other back then.

He guessed it was true what they said – there's a fine line between love and hate...and wall crumbling sex probably blurred the boundaries further still.

Not that he would know. Xander sighed. No wall crumbling sex for him. It still kind of freaked him out that he knew about Spike and Buffy's sexual relationship at all. That's what he got for listening to Dawn and the Potentials whispering in the night.

How Dawn had found out he would never know. Not sure if he wanted to know.

As usual Xander's mind had wandered into the gutter and refused to get out. It was inevitable that he went to the scary visual place again. Xander quickly slapped himself round the face and stared down at the book.

All three of them looked up when the fax machine started to whirl to life in the hallway.

Xander jumped up and walked to the hall pulling the three pieces of paper out of the machine. He was glance-reading them as he entered the living room again.

"Well?" Giles asked impatiently.

"It's from Wesley. Man, that guy _does_ work fast" Xander skimmed further "It says 'Angel has informed me of Spike's plight. I checked the reference library for anything related to water-feral demons and then narrowed down my search to the metamorphic properties of the serum secreted from their quills. I'm afraid a great deal of it is written in ancient Summarian with what seems to be a mixture of Greek and Latin. I sent you the text and will continue to work on a translation for you'...blah, blah, blah. Man, that guy can talk for England"

Giles held his hand out "Let me see"

"I know a little Latin" Willow said peering over Giles' shoulder to look at the sheets.

"Yes and I know basic Summarian but very little Greek" Giles murmured.

Xander grinned "And I know the language known only as – Jelly Donuts. Or, scones! The great food of the Englishman! Scones or Jelly's?"

"Hmm" Giles muttered.

"Mmh" Willow muttered.

Xander gave them a thumbs up even though they were both engrossed "Both it is! Without my car it's gonna be a long journey but I must nourish the troops!"

"We have some of both in the cupboards" Giles waved a dismissive hand.

"Ah ha!" Xander turned to the kitchen "Giles' food horde! Of course"

He walked into the kitchen and his smile dropped. Sometimes it was hard not to feel useless around those two. Brainy McBrains. When Buffy was around Xander didn't feel quite so dense – she may have the super powers but she wasn't much good with ancient languages either. Besides, she _always_ appreciated his food preparation skills. Even if the skills only included putting things on a plate. She always complimented him on his arrangement.

Xander started rooting around the cupboards. Buffy would be home soon. She'd just pick up Spike and be back in a flash he was sure. He held back an extra donut for her, left it in the kitchen with some sprinkles on top. She always liked those.

****

A/N: I thought this fic needed a little Xander POV – firstly because he was getting seriously neglected (like in season 7), secondly – I wanted another perspective and thirdly – I just love making you guys wait even longer for Spuffy interaction. Next chapter though, I promise.

I guess some people might think Xander is a little out of character considering he's going along with the Spike/Buffy relationship but I disagree. During season seven he seemed to calm down a lot, and took it all in his stride – just watch the beginning of Never Leave Me –

ANYA: Xander, you've always been part of the 'Spike is evil' faction.

XANDER: I've got windows to fix.

He really matured a lot. Completely avoided confrontation. Some die-hard Buffy fans might notice a few in-references to other episodes in this chapter. You have to look really hard though.


	20. Footsteps In The Sky

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A/N: Thanks for all the Xander based feedback, I knew you guys would get it. So, your reward? Spuffiness of course.

Buffy wasn't quite sure exactly when it had started to rain but the English weather was like that – unpredictable. The sky was pitch black but she knew that in a few hours it would begin to lighten, to turn an almost blood red before the lighter pink, azure blue and orange hues began to leak into the sky. Buffy knew this because she had spent many a night just watching the colors change. Sometimes it was because she just couldn't sleep other times it was just because she loved the majestic nature of it all. The sky was like the world's biggest canvas, constantly changing, and subtly shaping the day ahead.

The Slayer pulled up the car – she had reached the as far as she could go in an automobile. Buffy looked through the windscreen up at the sky. There were heavy clouds, gray and unsettling. A good old English storm was brewing.

She climbed out of the car and slammed the door shut after her. Pulling her jacket tighter around herself Buffy let out a gasp of surprise when a cold splash of water found its way down the back of her collar and shirt. The one drip slid all the way down her spine making her shiver.

The rain was heavy and within seconds she was drenched, her hair plastered to her head, white-shirt sodden to her body even with the added protection of a jacket. She started up the dirt path, her heels sinking into the already boggy mud. It was times like this she wished for sunny California.

No, scratch that. Buffy loved storms. Probably because growing up in California she hadn't seen many. They just always made her feel so much more...alive. The cold rain splashes, the illuminating bolts of lightning that, just for a moment, made the night sky feel like day.

Then there was the thunder.

It sounded above her right now. Buffy hurried along the dirt path but stopped just for a moment to look up in time to catch a zigzag of lightning hurtling through the abyss.

Thunder sounded again. It was the sound of giants walking among them. The steady thud of footsteps in the sky.

God, she _loved_ storms.

Buffy sighed, shook her head and carried on. She had to find Spike; the philosophical things could wait. Pushing her way through the overgrown foliage on either side of a small walkway that led to the beach Buffy found she could no longer restrain herself. She started to run. Brambles and twigs scraped at her unguarded face and the Slayer let out a hiss as a bramble sliced a clean line across her cheek. No time to stop. Just a small cut.

She burst onto the beach like an Olympic athlete through the finishing line. Buffy came to a halt. Her heels sunk into the wet sand; her hair was stuck to her face partly obscuring her vision. But she still saw him.

Anywhere, he was hard to miss. But on this deserted beach, he was _everything_.

Spike stood with his back to her, quite a way away at the very edge of the shoreline. The sea pulled out and pulled in. The tide licked at his feet. He was still shirtless and cut from being thrown through the window. His alabaster skin, now tinted with blue, was marred with angry red cuts and dark swelling.

From this distance Buffy watched him and he looked ethereal. So pale, so desolate, head hung and a tense set to his shoulders. He could have just been a figment. A lonely ghost.

Always alone.

Just like her.

The sea waves were beginning to crash against the rocks, the tide more furious now as it swallowed Spike's ankles. The dark clouds loomed low to the water as if trying to intimidate. The seawater appeared gray in the night. Everything was dark, save for when the lightning flashed.

His skin was her only beacon.

Spike took a small step forward. It was a tiny step, almost imperceptible, but she caught it. Buffy always noticed every small movement he made. She was that aware of him.

He stepped again. Then again.

He started to run into the water.

Buffy did not hesitate she kicked off her boots and ran towards him full Slayer speed. Her feet sunk into the clumped up sand; it got stuck between her toes. She noticed none of this as she called his name out.

The sound was drowned out by the thunder rumbling overhead.

Spike was thigh-deep in water, wading his way through the current.

He was leaving.

Buffy wasn't going to let that happen. She careened into the back of him with all of her weight. They both fell forwards into the water.

It was a shock to the system. The water was freezing cold, it streamed up her nose and into her mouth and the salt choked her. Left her spluttering beneath the surface. She fought to keep her eyes open but could see very little in the murky water. Her arm was wrapped tightly around Spike.

Buffy planted her feet on the ground and stood up. She gasped as she broke the surface, pulling in deep breaths. The stinging sensation in her sinuses did not subside; neither did the burning in her throat.

Spike pushed away from her, turned around to face her. Water was sluicing down his body and face; his skin seemed more translucent. Beyond the blue undertones she could see veins and arteries, lifeless and useless. Water droplets clung to his long eyelashes; his hair was mussed and water-swept.

His eyes were pure blue.

There was no white in them.

Buffy looked into those eyes, those sad looking eyes, and it threw her for a moment. Spike's eyes had always been, figuratively speaking, the windows to his soul. His every emotion would be conveyed in those eyes even if he didn't wish for them to be projected.

But it was still Spike.

"Stay back!" He yelled over the thunder "I can't be near you, I can't!"

He took slow but deliberate steps back in the heavy current of the water. It reached just above his waist but it came up to Buffy's chest. The cold was beginning to seep through her clothes and goosebumps were appearing...everywhere.

None of it affected Spike.

"Don't" Buffy whispered.

She hoped that he knew what she meant by that one word. Don't leave. Don't leave her.

Spike looked at her with those alien eyes but still she saw it in him. The softness, the love, the utter abandonment he felt when looking at her. Buffy wished that she could love as deeply as Spike could. Could give everything she had to one person even though there was always the fear and uncertainty of that person cutting you down.

Like she had done to him so, so many times.

She began to shiver and shake noticeably and it wasn't entirely from the cold. A chill wind tore at her, even penetrating her heavily damp jacket, whipping stray strands of her hair into a frenzy. Chilling her to the bone.

"Let me go, Buffy," Spike whispered "Let me go...you'll be safe, warm, not cold...not cold with me"

Buffy shook her head, mostly to herself. He still didn't get it. He still didn't see.

She couldn't blame him for it.

It was, after all, her fault that it had become so complex and painful for them both. Buffy knew that she had treated Spike badly and she would admit that. But he hadn't been entirely blame free. She didn't just mean the bathroom. She meant the way, back in Sunnydale, when he had tried to drag her into the darkness. It was where he was meant to be. Or so he thought.

Buffy knew different now.

Spike was not a creature of darkness. Not anymore, anyway.

He was filled with light, love, laughter, trust and he was _real._ He was one of the good guys, one of the white hats who never got to come into the sun.

The Powers still kept trying to pull him into Hell.

Buffy wouldn't let that happen. He wasn't going anywhere this time. This time he was staying firmly at her side, in whatever capacity he chose. She would just be happy for him to be there as a friend if that was all he wanted. She could deal with that. Spike made a good friend; she had come to realize during the last year in Sunnydale.

Had come to realize a lot of things that last year.

"You're the one thing that keeps me warm, Spike" She spoke softly, through quavering lips.

Buffy knew he heard. Even over the thunder, the lightning, the wind and the rain he heard.

He heard.

Spike took another step backwards, shook his head "No. No! I was bad for you, bad and wrong and...I made you hurt. I made you hurt worse than anyone"

Buffy let out a choke of melancholic laughter "Self involved, much?"

"It's better, Buffy, it's better if I..." Spike doubled over, almost kissing the water, he pulled a face of pain "...go. Now. Before this...uhhh..."

Buffy waded towards him, worried. He jumped back put his hand out in an effort to keep her back. Buffy shakes were still evident and all she wanted was to be somewhere safe and warm with Spike, just make him better, make him okay again.

Spike tilted his head; a sudden gentle look passing over his features "Should get inside, luv. Before you catch your death"

The Slayer looked up into his eyes "Death always seems to catch me anyway"

He blinked. A different look passed over his face. A predatory look.

One moment he was Spike, the next he wasn't.

Above them the footsteps continued to advance across the stars.

****

A/N: I really enjoyed writing this chapter, it just seemed to flow. I guess it just stretched my writing muscles a little more. Always did enjoy a bit of artistic license. The next chapter is gonna get serious so it may take a while to write. But it'll be worth it, promise.

Feedback please.


	21. Lady's Choice

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A/N: The long awaited and promised chapter. The storm I wrote and the colours in the sky – I got the inspiration for that by looking out of my window at 3am in the morning. Some stromy weather here recently. Anyway, read on -

Buffy noticed the subtle shift in the creases of his face, the slight alteration in the way he stood – slouched now, comfortable but ready to strike. He arched his scarred eyebrow at her, stuck the tip of his tongue out through his teeth just like he used to. Except now there was an extra menacing presence to him. His whole demeanor exhibited sexuality, dangerous sexuality.

Combining that with the newly dark blue depths of his eyes Buffy felt like she was standing before a stranger. A stranger who wanted to hurt her. Instinctively she got into a defensive stance, which wasn't easy with the water gushing around her.

Spike laughed a little. With her hands up in a peek-a-boo pose, water lapping against her chest and shaking like a leaf she must have looked ridiculous. The Slayer did not care. She sensed danger and she reacted to it in the way she knew how, the way she was trained to.

Spike bowed his head, strange eyes directed to look right into her. He began to glide through the water towards her. There was no other word for it; he _glided_. The water-feral within must be rearing its head in bigger ways then Buffy first thought.

The Slayer attempted to shift just a little but her sodden jacket was hindering her movements. Without a second thought she undid it and shrugged it off leaving it to float behind her in the water. Spike's eyebrows lifted appreciatively. Buffy looked down at herself. Her white shirt had gone see-through. She looked back up, got back into a fighting position.

Her skin was immersed in ice-cold water and chill winds and her body was screaming at her to find warmth right away but she couldn't. Hypothermia was not her biggest concern at the moment and the Slayer focused her mind to block out the sensations of her frost-covered body.

Her gaze never strayed from the man in front of her.

"So," Spike's voice slithered out of his pale lips "How we gonna do this? Rough or tender? Lady's choice"

"There's a tender way for me to kick your ass?" Buffy quipped, arching a honey-colored eyebrow.

His laugh was like wind chimes "We both know that's not what we're doing here"

"That so?" She breathed, an icy plume expelled into the air "So, what are we doing?"

Spike smiled softly but the hardness was still in his eyes "We're dancing"

Buffy watched him. This demon that had taken over Spike's mind, Spike's memories and couldn't hate it. Inside it was still Spike. She saw the way the water ran in rivulets down Spike's hard, pale chest, she saw the way his hair had began to curl at the front from the contact of the water. It made her wish she were with the real Spike. Made her wish she had thought to bring him to the beach instead of the lake. Splash water into his face and make him laugh. He didn't laugh nearly as much as he used to when she had first known him. She mourned that loss.

"It's all we've ever done" Buffy finished the memory.

His lip curled up into a smirk. Like the Spike of times past. Then he dived under the water and grabbed her around the legs, lifting her up and then throwing her down none too gently back into the sea. Her back stung from the harsh slap of water against her skin and several shivers ran down her back as she tried to gather herself and stand.

Spike's arms wrapped around her ribs tightly so much so that she was having trouble gathering her breath. He pulled her up out of the water and stood there holding her against him. The deep blue eyes she looked into studied her face.

"You're a pretty one" He whispered and the breeze carried it away.

Buffy put her hands up against his chest "If you want this so much...I won't fight it. On one condition"

He cocked his head curiously, looked into her green eyes and his brow furrowed. He did not expect the Slayer to give in so easily but Buffy had figured something out. The water-feral wanted to mate. She was the only female around. So, it was her. To keep Spike with her she would do it on the one condition.

"What's that then?" He rasped, voice heavy with the promise she had bestowed.

"I want Spike"

The demon before her cocked his head as if not quite hearing her right. Buffy only looked at him impassively. She knew he understood what she meant. She wanted the demon to let Spike come forward and she would go willingly. A willing mate was so much more pliant then an unwilling one.

After all he had said it was lady's choice. She had made her choice and it was Spike. Now it was time to see if the demon made good on its offer.

Spike shrugged, looked up into the night sky then back at her "A mate's a mate. You want the vampire? Have him. All the same to me"

Buffy nodded. In many ways she really didn't think that the demon was going to honor her request. After all it was a _demon_. Not generally known for being compliant and agreeable. Half of her still expected it to trick her. But when he blinked, when he blinked and it was his eyes again she knew. It was Spike, her Spike.

He looked afraid. Of her. Or of himself. Which one she was not completely sure.

"Buffy..." His voice quavered, his lips shaking "No. We can't. I...I can't"

She reached up and placed her hands on his face, ran her index fingers down the sharp inclines of his cheekbones. His skin was ice cold. It tried to steal the last remnants of heat from her fingertips. The rain still beat down on them and Buffy blinked the splashes away, his skin glowed in the darkness and all she really saw was him. But then she had felt that way for a while now. Whenever Spike was around the shutters went up and Buffy was blindsided by him.

The Slayer shrugged, went for a smile "Oh, I don't know...moonlight beach, lightning in the sky, the rain...I think it's kind of romantic. Besides, everyone knows that rain always makes people look twice as sexy, look at all the boy bands that use it in their videos. Backstreet Boys can't be wrong –"

"You're babbling, luv" Spike whispered gently, a small smile tugging at his lips "And ruining the intense moment by talking about poofy boy bands"

"I'm hoping it's gonna last longer then a moment, Spikey" She arched an eyebrow, gave him a crooked grin.

Spike's eyebrows lifted comically but then he frowned "This isn't how it should be, Buffy. You're...I don't want to force you into this"

Buffy lifted her arms and held them above her head, wrists crossed over one another as though she was handcuffed "I'm going willingly, officer"

"That isn't funny" He mumbled.

She smiled "Oh, come on. It kind of is" she lowered the arms over his head so the looped around his neck and joined behind his head "After all, you always wanted me tied up"

"Not anymore" Spike looked at her "I...I just want you. But not like this! Not because you feel some obligation"

Buffy rolled her eyes "Spike, you talk too much"

With that she kissed him softly on the lips cutting off further protest from them. Spike gasped into her mouth and he hesitated only a moment before wrapping his arms more tightly around her and lifting her out of the water. She wrapped her legs around his waist as Spike waded into the shore.

He lowered her down onto the sand, the sea still lapping at them. Buffy barely noticed the cold anymore. No, that wasn't strictly true. She noticed it and she wallowed in it. Spike was the cold, she was the warmth and that was how it would always be. The Slayer had accepted that now.

Spike pulled back, looked at her face "Buffy, I –"

"Spike, I know what you're gonna say" She pressed her fingers against his lips "And, no, I'm not doing this out of pity or out of obligation. I'm doing this because I want to. This water-feral thing...it was just the catalyst. The thing we needed to get it together, _finally_. Spike, if our foreplay and flirting goes on any longer we'll get our own saga. And _you_ may be immortal but I would kind of like to have the whirlwind romance before I turn eighty"

The vampire looked at her. He blinked. Reached out and brushed a strand of hair from across her forehead, tucked it behind her ear. The way he was looking at her was so intimate she envied it. Buffy Summers could never pull away from the world so much as to completely lose herself in one person. But tonight she could try.

"Actually," Spike said softly "I was going to say I love you"

Buffy looked at him, widened her eyes comically "Oh"

"Yeah, oh" He grinned.

Spike leaned down and kissed her again and this time he didn't stop.

****

A/N: The end of this chapter is what in TV world would be called "Fade to Black". I'm not into writing big, long sex scenes and the rating for only goes up to R so...but anyway rest assured they are doing the deed right now as we speak. I'm thinking about doing a chapter from Andrew's POV but I'm not sure I can write him well. Tell me if you want to see more Andrew.


	22. Ancient Geek

A/N: I decided to go with some more Xander POV because strangely I enjoyed writing him. I know it's been a while but school is starting soon here (in England) and there is a desperate struggle to do homework set for 6 weeks of research. Eeeekkk! Read on, gentle viewers -

Xander sat slumped in the armchair he had started off in at the beginning of the night. His eyelids felt heavy and there was a shooting pain at his temples. Command Central Xan-Man wanted to shut down and sleep. But he overruled his brain. Buffy was not home yet and therefore Xander would not rest until he knew she was safe.

He glanced over at the clock it was almost dawn. She should have been back hours ago. Xander knew that Spike would not hurt Buffy but this thing inside him was not Spike. Anything could have happened to her. Willow and Giles were keeping busy with the translation and they were almost done he guessed by the fact that they were starting to smile again. The past few hours had been full of grumpy, creased-foreheaded Watcher and Wicca. Xander did his best to stay out of their way.

Dawn slept upstairs, or at least she pretended to. He doubted that she slept at all, too worried about Buffy and possibly even Spike.

Xander sat up straight, stood and stretched. He couldn't stand around any longer he had to go and find Buffy.

"Where are you going?" Willow asked, suddenly realizing he was still in the room.

Giles and her sat on the couch with papers strewn haphazardly on the coffee table and spilling onto the floor. The papers were filled with indistinguishable scribbles Xander could never hope to understand. They were also ringed with cup marks from the many coffees and tea's Xander had had to sustain them with. A plate of half-eaten Jelly donuts and scones lay on top the mess too.

"I'm going to find Buffy," Xander said "She's been gone for hours"

"I don't think you should" Willow said, yawning and then blinking a few times "We've almost got this translation figured out except for the partial ancient Greek that some joker decided to include. Wesley should be faxing something through soon"

Xander shrugged "More reason for me to find her, bring her back and show her the happy news"

Giles stood and stretched, picking his stale tea up and swigging it with a wince "I fear for Buffy's safety, you know I do. However, if there is one thing I have learnt the past few days is that she is _very_ protective towards Spike. It could be that she has taken shelter with him – after all it is almost sunrise – and is unable to call us"

Andrew entered the room carrying an armful of comic books "Either that or they're doing the horizontal dance of lurve somewhere. Oooh...maybe on the beach like in that movie with Bo Derek and that guy...wowsa"

"Thankyou for those mental pictures, Andrew!" Xander rubbed his forehead then frowned "What were you doing out so late...or early?"

"Picking up the new issues of the Amazing Spiderman from my supplier" Andrew beamed holding up his stack "Hot off the press"

Xander rolled his eye "You went out at the crack of dawn for comics? Loser"

"I got one for you too" He waved the magazine.

Xander snatched it with a grin then looked sheepish "Well, if I'm gonna have to wait for Buffy I might as well have something to read"

Andrew walked out of the room to get himself some breakfast.

"Wesley said the Ancient Greek in this text is a particularly obscure strand" Willow frowned, rubbed the bridge of her nose "And we've gotten the bulk of it translated except for the most important few words"

"Those Ancient Greeks," Xander shook his head "So inconsiderate"

Giles nodded "If only I had studied Greek instead of that bloody useless Spanish"

"Hey, you can meet some hot Latin chica's" Xander said helpfully then asked "So, what have you got so far?"

Willow looked up, clutching a piece of paper "Basically a lot of scientific stuff on how the serum works and the basic myth of the water-feral demon which is, hey, interesting but not so useful, and then the one sentence that sums it all up and tells us how to reverse the change"

"Well, that's great right!" Xander grinned.

Willow and Giles looked grave.

"Not great?"

"No" Giles shook his head "We've managed to translate three quarters of the sentence. The three most important words we can't decipher"

Xander sighed "Ain't that always the way? So, what have you got? Maybe we could play 'guess the word'?"

"So far," Willow looked at the paper "We've worked out, roughly, 'To change a host back to what it once was, the curse.........something, something, something.......Once that is done all shall return to what it once was"

"Ah, I see the problem" Xander nodded sagely.

"What's up comrades?" Andrew asked as he walked into the room sipping from a juice box.

Willow sighed, put her head in her hands "Buffy is counting on us..._Spike_ is counting on us and we can't do anything unless Wesley can figure it out!"

"Yeah, letting it all rest on Mr. Stuffed Shirt must be hard" Xander nodded.

Andrew looked piqued "The badass vampyre needs help? Why have you not come to me sooner, children?"

"Unless you know Ancient Greek, you'll be a fat lot of use" Giles huffed then added bitterly "As usual"

Andrew placed his hands on his hips "Well, actually old chap, I _do_ know Ancient Greek! So put that in your English pipe and smoke it"

Xander frowned "I think you're confused Andrew – he said Ancient _Greek_ not Ancient _Geek_"

"I heard well, Alexander," Andrew nodded "And I shall have you know I am well versed in the language of the Ancient philosophers"

"Andrew are you being serious?" Willow asked, a spark of hope in her eyes.

"I have never been more serious, she-witch" Andrew nodded somberly.

Giles threw up his hands "Then why didn't you tell us before you blithering idiot!"

"Temper, little English man, temper. I –"

Andrew was cut off by Giles grabbing the front of his Phantasm T-shirt and throwing him down on the couch, juice squirted everywhere. Andrew looked suitably dazed and frightened. Xander folded his arms and stood next to Giles both of them looked intimidating and rugged to the nerd on the chair.

"Translate, monkey boy" Xander instructed "Translate like your precious Spikey's life counted on it"

Giles looked down at him darkly "And yours"

****

A/N: A short chapter to just bridge the gap and let you know that the Scoobies are mounting up and are on the case! Giles, is getting pretty scary huh? – terrorising poor innocent geek boy! I think I'm gonna have to soften him up in the next few chapters. Tootle Pip! (I did NOT just say that....)

918e9a8e

****


	23. Every Girl Has Her Pacey

****

A/N: This took a long time to write. Well, actually it didn't. It just took me a long time to get motivated to write it. I need your reviews!

When Spike awoke he felt oddly like him self. He hadn't felt that for a while now. It was comforting and as he stretched to keep his muscles from seizing up he felt his skin brush over sand. And soft, warm skin.

Spike turned his head to the side. Buffy slept next to him on the beach absolutely starkers. It was a beautiful sight. And immediately it knocked his number one moment off the list and replaced it at the top. 1. Buffy – beach – asleep – naked and glowing.

He sighed. Surely he didn't deserve this? After all of the terrible things he had done did he really deserve to bear witness to this effulgent woman? Effulgent. _Oh Bugger_, Spike thought, _Slipping into old ways at the very glance of the Slayer_. Yet he couldn't find it in him enough to care for his goofy nature. Because she was here. With him. And that was all that mattered.

If Spike had ever for one moment regretted being pulled back to Earth after he saved the world, then that moment was demolished now. Buffy Summers was lying next to him as if she hadn't a care in the world. She was truly relaxed and, dare he say it, even content to have him near her. There had always been an underlying tension between them – sexual, emotional, and, though it shamed him to admit it, just plain fear.

But not any more. She slept and she even snored. One of those girly snores that was threatening to turn into a full blown honker. Spike pursed his lips together to stop from laughing. He didn't want to wake her.

Spike wondered how it was he had even fallen asleep and missed the chance to stare at Buffy for hours. But, in truth, he knew why. She had exhausted him. As usual. Spike's lips formed a crooked grin as he remembered last night.

Making love to Buffy was the opposite of that bus on Speed. If you go below 50 mph she _won't_ "explode".

He chuckled. Comparing Buffy to a bus – she'd love that.

"What's so funny, Mister Fishy?" Buffy spoke suddenly.

He blinked, looked into her green eyes "Mr. Fishy?"

She shrugged "All I could think of. I'm getting old. The quips are drying up, my vision isn't what it used to be, my knees are all wobbly...although that might have something to do with last night"

Spike grinned "Yeah" His grin dropped "About last night –"

"Don't" She placed her fingers over his lips "Don't ruin it. I _so_ do not want to go all Dawson's Creek and overanalyze this right now"

"I was always Pacey you know"

Buffy frowned "What?"

"Well – you were that Joey girl, Peaches was that wanker Dawson and I was Pacey" Spike smiled a little then grew sad "And look how well that turned out"

Buffy rolled her eyes "Spike did you even see the ending?"

"Well, no. Little busy being fighting an apocalypse but everyone knows it was always gonna be Joey and that poof Dawson"

"I caught it on reruns," Buffy smiled slowly "Pacey got the girl"

Spike raised his eyebrows "Well, who'd have thought it?"

"I would have" She leaned across and kissed him lightly on the lips, pulled back "Took me a little while to see the real appeal of..._Pacey_ but I got there in the end"

"Glad to hear it"

Buffy ran her hands up his face to his eyebrow, trailing her finger along the scar tissue that split the hair apart "I like scars. Oh! Not in like a self-harm way! I just mean...they're kind of, well, sexy"

"Oh really?" He smirked, reached over and touched his hand to the base of her neck, swept it up in an arc to the nape of her neck "I like that line of skin"

"I wonder why" Buffy rolled her eyes "Vampires"

Spike shook his head "That's not why. Even when I was human...in the old days the neck and the collarbone were mostly all that the women could show off. Even that was considered risqué"

"Ah, so it's a result of stuffy Britishness?"

"It was like that all over the world," Spike looked at her, arched an eyebrow "At least in refined circles it was"

Buffy put a hand to her chest in a sign of Victorian distress "Are you saying I'm not refined? I am so refined, I could refine your...ass!"

"Sounds promising" Spike leered at her.

She shoved him in the shoulder "You are so gross"

"Well, you've always known that"

Buffy smiled slowly as if she really didn't want to be smiling at something he said. She turned to look away, embarrassed at her show of girlishness. Spike reached over, took her chin in-between his fingers and turned her face back to him. Her green eyes flickered down to look at the sand then back up at his face.

"So," She said slowly "How come Mr. Fishy hasn't reared its scary head again?"

Spike shrugged "I...don't know. It just...seems to have subsided. For a little while. Maybe last night you pounded it into submission, literally"

Spike grinned and Buffy pulled a disapproving face.

"But" His face turned serious "You're right. It'll probably show again soon. So, you should leave. Get back to safety"

"Not without you"

"Buffy –"

"No, Spike. No" She sat up "You think I'm gonna let last night mean nothing by letting you slip away into the blue yonder? I don't think so. So, shove that up your English Channel!"

Spike's eyes widened comically.

"You're right. You've very refined" Spike nodded "I see that now"

She grinned and shoved him back down to the sand from his partial sitting position "Aw. I've got sand stuck in places I didn't even know existed..."

Spike smiled and sat back up, so close that their things brushed against one another. She was indeed covered in sand. Considering the beach last night had been rained upon the particles had stuck to them even more so then they usually would have. Buffy was dusted in tiny little crystals, making her skin seems to shimmer and shine. Well, more so then usual. She had an unmistakable glow about her too. Spike was proud to think that that had come from him.

Until he realized it was the reflection of the sun's rays on her skin.

His eyes widened as his skin began to feel aflame.

"Spike, what's wrong?" Buffy asked, oblivious.

He was about to be burned alive.

****

A/N: This chap would have been longer but you know how I like a good cliffhanger. And, her Dawson's Creek mentioned in this chap, Backstreet Boys in the last one...what is this world coming to? Ah, I love DC. Oh and the bit where Buffy says she likes scars and Spike likes that part of the neck – I got this from SMG and JM's personal body likes. So there ya have it!


	24. The Legend of Cave Girl

A/N: Long awaited, I know. But I've been stressing over my A Levels. And apparently school must come first. So, here it is without further ado -

Andrew shifted uncomfortably in the chair, the printouts laying in his lap "Can you not glare at me like that? It's just it's making me nervous and –"

"No!" Giles and Xander both said.

Willow gave Andrew a pat on the shoulder like he was a sickly puppy dog. Andrew sighed and looked back down at the sheets. Ancient Greek was tricky and the three pairs of laser beam eyes he had on him did nothing to quell his anxiety. Spike's life rested on this. Oh, the pressure!

"It's three words, Andrew" Xander threw his hands up "I thought you knew this stuff as well as you know Klingon?"

"It's the pressure!" Andrew cried "It's making me buckle, the weight of the world on my shoulders, all hopes resting on theses three little words, it's almost too much for one such as myself to bear!"

"Andrew, stay calm" Willow suggested then grabbed him by the lapels "And translate the frickin' words, OKAY?!"

Andrew gulped "Yes, she-witch, I...I will"

"Good" Willow nodded and smoothed his jacket back before sitting back in the chair.

Giles scowled "Get a move on. We...Spike doesn't have all day"

-------------

"Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!" Spike screamed at the top of his lungs, no doubt startling the crap out of birds nesting nearby.

Not that he cared. He was about to die by immolation. Again. He scrambled to his feet, his self-preservation kicking in and legged it in one direction like a headless chicken. He heard Buffy calling after him. Spike ran and ran and ran some more desperately looking for a hideout. The sun was on the way. He felt it start to heat up the sand behind him. It was chasing him.

The first beams of sunlight hit his pale skin and Spike felt a rush of warmth travel down his back. This was it. Death and hell all over again.

Something tackled him from the side with blurring speed. Spike went down in a tumble and found himself, surprisingly, in the blessed shadows. His head cracked against the hard mud floor but he didn't care. A few small tendrils of smoke wafted off of him. Spike looked down to see Buffy entwined with him. She looked up, worried, then punched him in the side.

"Ow! Hey!" Spike complained as they disentangled themselves.

They were in small alcove of the high cliffs surrounding the beach. A makeshift cave of sorts. A refuge for sun fearing folk like himself.

Buffy stood, crossed her arms "You idiot! Why didn't you notice the sun was coming up?"

"Listen, here, missy – " Spike stood too and cracked his head on the ceiling of the cave with an audible crack "Oww! Bollocks!"

Buffy tilted her head "One advantage of being short"

Spike rubbed his head "Oww. I didn't bloody noticed the sun was coming up. I was too busy gawking at you! So, really, Summers, it's all _your_ fault"

"How do you figure _that?_" Buffy brow creased "And how come the water-feral didn't protect you. I mean since your changing into it...they aren't sun sensitive, right?"

"Oww" Spike still rubbed his head "I don't know. I don't think so. Maybe I'm not as far gone as we thought. Oww"

"Baby" Buffy kicked him gently on the shin.

Spike pouted and Buffy smiled, reaching up and pulling his face gently down to hers. She inspected his head but from the derisive snort that escaped her lips Spike figured there was no real damage. She let go and turned to look out of the entrance of the cave.

Standing there, bathed in the light of the sun, Buffy looked almost like an angel. Spike had often wondered if when she had been pulled from heaven, that the Slayer had ripped a piece of it along with her for the ride. Celestial would be the word he would describe her as in that moment. Then again that was probably just that old ponce William rearing his nerdy head.

"Oh, no!" Buffy cried.

"What?" Spike took a step cautiously towards the edge of the cave, careful to avoid the beams of sunlight.

Buffy pointed across the beach. Three teenage boys were laughing and shoving one another, kicking sand up into each other's faces. They weren't far from where Buffy and Spike had left the pile of their clothing. It wouldn't be long before they found the items and either completely ruined the clothes or came looking for the owners. Spike wasn't that bothered. Looking over at the Slayer he could see that she was bothered.

"Did you grab any clothes?" He asked.

"Uh, no!" She turned to him, rolled her eyes "I was a little preoccupied saving your life. I should have prioritized better, I know"

Spike smirked "So, what you gonna do now, Summers? What's it to be – hide out and pray or give the lads a show they'll never forget?"

"How about neither. You go get them!"

"Small problem with that scenario – blinding sunlight"

Buffy shrugged "Well, I am _not_ streaking"

Spike gave her a look. The Slayer shook her head.

"You could be there and back in ten seconds. Benefits of Slayer speed..." He nudged her with his elbow.

"Ten seconds is long enough for my total and complete humiliation to be imprinted on my mind forever" Buffy looked back out of the cave, the boys drew nearer to the clothes.

Spike shrugged "Lady's choice"

The Slayer turned and looked at him oddly then.

"What?" Spike frowned.

Buffy paused then shook her head, spoke softly "Nothing"

---------------------

"Ah ha!" Andrew pumped his fist in the air "Score one for El Andrablo!"

Giles turned to him "You have something? What?"

Willow, Xander and Dawn, who had recently joined them in the pressurization of Andrew, all leaned theatrically towards the geek. Andrew smiled a self-satisfied grin. He nodded slowly.

"I have the first two word. It is 'must' and 'be'"

Willow frowned, picked up a piece of paper "'To change a host back to what it once was, the curse...must be... something...Once that is done all shall return to what it once was"

Dawn looked at Giles "Must be what?"

"That is indeed the question..." Giles rubbed his chin "I don't suppose you're near to translating the third word?"

"Well, it's a slippery one, Rupert" Andrew looked at him, then highlighted the word on the page with a bright pink highlighter "You see, it is from a different time period to the rest of the Greek"

"Kind of like the writer of this thing is deliberately trying to keep the suspense going...?" Xander observed.

The group all fell silent.

Dawn shrugged "Andrew, please, hurry. If Buffy isn't back then it might mean..."

"No," Willow put an arm around the girls shoulder "I'm sure Buffy is fine, Spike too. They're probably just hiding the light out, you know, laying low, not drawing attention to themselves..."

-----------------

Dave kicked the sand into Kieron's face again and a snorting laugh escaped his nose. These guys were so stupid. He was so pissed he couldn't even remember who had suggested the shortcut across the beach. But, knowing his friends it had probably been Rick.

All Dave knew was that his mum was going to be so stressy with him when he got back home after spending the whole night out and stinking of alcohol to boot. 'You're only fifteen,' she'd say 'when you move out you can do what you like but when you're under my roof it's my rules...' blah, blah, blah.

He had stopped listening to his mum a long time ago.

"You git!" Kieron shoved him hard.

Dave stumbled to the side a few steps.

"What the...!"

Dave frowned looking over at Rick to see what the fuss was about. Rick was staring wide-eyed off to the right like he was transfixed. Dave turned fully expecting to see the police or a dead jellyfish.

Instead he saw a very naked, very hot looking girl walking across the beach towards them.

"Oh...Oh...Oh..." Were the only sounds Dave found his voice box would allow him to make.

He felt his eyes widened comically and his breath caught in his throat. All three of the boys were frozen in place. The girl was short, blonde, tanned...all over. She strolled up in front of them, bent down, picked up a pile of clothes and stood.

"Hey guys," She said in an American accent "Nice weather we're having, huh?"

"Uh..." Dave managed.

The woman smiled, dazzling them with her pearly whites. Then she turned on her heel and walked back the way she had came from. Dave's eyes never left her.

"Nice talking to you" She called over her shoulders.

Dave gulped "Uh..."

The girl disappeared into a cave. A cave?!

"What the..." Rick repeated.

"Holy shit! That girl was naked!" Kieron cried "Did you see her...?!"

Rick shoved him "Of course I bloody saw her. What does she live in a cave?"

Kieron laughed "Cave girl! We have to spread this at school – the myth of Cave Girl is true!"

"Yeah, well, I'd go two thousand B.C with her anytime, mate!" Rick laughed, slapping his hand onto his friend's back.

Dave's eyes rolled back into his head and he fainted.

A/N: Review me, Scotty! Or whatever. Just review. Tell me, your woes, your life story etc. I'm all ears. But not like some freaky all-ear monster...


	25. A Very Scooby Game of Twister

A/N: GOD! I am getting SOOO bad at updating. I feel ashamed. Peach offering - 

Spike grinned at Buffy as she entered the cave; her face a bright red and her eyes scrunched closed in sheer embarrassment. She threw the clothes down onto the ground and sighed, turning to look out the cave covertly.

"One of them fainted!" Buffy turned back, abashed.

"Well, of course they did," Spike picked up his clothes and started separating them from Buffy's casually "He's never seen anything as hot as you"

"God! I can't believe I just did that!" Buffy grabbed up her underwear and slipped the items on, quickly followed by her trousers "That was, without exception, _the_ most embarrassing experience of my life"

Spike arched an eyebrow "More embarrassing then when your friends found out about us the first time?"

"Well..." Buffy sighed, pulling her shirt on "That's a close second. Oh my god! Giles! Willow! Xander! Dawn! I should have called them they'll be worried...I've been gone all night"

Buffy started to do up her shirt rapidly and motioned for Spike to hurry up and get dressed he just grinned and pulled his jeans on. Suddenly a sharp, searing stabbing pain sliced through his abdomen. Spike groaned and stumbled forward into the wall of the cave. His hands clutched at the affected area and his nerve ending screamed with pain. A moment later it was gone.

Buffy's hand was on his shoulder "What's the matter?"

"...Nothing. It's...it's nothing," He said in a hoarse voice "Must just be an after-effect of last night's activities"

"We need to get you to Giles right now" Her voice was tainted with pure concern.

"Yeah, 'cos he's gonna be _so_ happy to see me" Spike stood up straight "Besides, luv, incase you haven't realised – the sun is up and roasting, toasting"

"Like that's stopped you before" Buffy tossed her drying jacket at him "Cover yourself in this. The car is just around the corner"

"Your coat is not really enough to cover me"

"It's gonna have to be" Buffy reached over and took his hand "I have to get back to Dawn and we have to get you..._secured_ in case that thing takes your body again"

Spike squeezed her hand "Suppose so. If I fry to death again, it's _you_ who I'll be haunting this time"

"Ooh, in a sexy Patrick Swayze way?"

"No" He shook his head "In a I'm-dead-as-hell-and-I'm-gonna-wreak-my-vengeance-upon-you-slowly-and-painfully kind of way"

Buffy shrugged with one shoulder "Whatever you want, sweetie" She grinned.

Spike tilted his head and looked at her. The Slayer turned her back as she gathered the rest of her belonging and picked her shoes up to hold in one hand. Had she really just called him 'sweetie'? And, more importantly, not even realised it? If she felt the weight of his gaze on her back then she did not show it as she hummed a song under her breath. He tried to recognise the tune but only caught _"I'm under your..."_

So, he asked, "What are you singing?"

"Huh?" Buffy turned back to him, brow furrowed "Oh. Nothing. Just a song Tara taught my before she..."

"Oh. She was a...nice girl," Spike said, nodding.

"The best" Buffy smiled briefly "And Willow still misses her, we all do but..."

"But Willow loved her with all her heart and soul," Spike said softly, looked at the ground then back up into Buffy's eyes "That witch and I have a lot in common. We should have talked more after I got my soul. If anyone's an expert at being love's fool – it's me"

Buffy shook her head slightly with an amused smile on her face before turning around and walking cautiously up to the entrance of the cave probably to see if the boys were still lurking. Spike could not stop watching her in curiosity. She seems different. Almost...nonchalant...but that wasn't the ideal word to describe it either. The pet name, the humming, the cute little smile. Why couldn't he put his finger on the change in her?

"Okay, let's go" Buffy turned to him "We're turning left then running like hell"

"Got it" Spike smiled, threw the girly jacket over his head.

He walked up behind her and she grabbed the left over length of his belt.

He arched an eyebrow "If you wanna stay a while, all you had to do was say..."

"No...well, yeah..." Buffy looked at him, melted, then snapped herself out of it "But the guys will be worried. I'm grabbing your belt so I can pull you a long"

"Hmmpf" Spike was disappointed "Well, don't pull too hard. The family jewels are precious"

"If they turn to dust they won't be" Buffy faced back out of the cave "Okay, let's go"

She started running immediately and Spike followed being pulled along by the Slayer hanging onto his belt. The heat hit him almost immediately and Buffy veered left severely. Spike stumbled on the sand and nearly went down but she pulled him along up the dune.

Smoke wafted off of his legs and back, his head, arms and shoulders being the only things that were really protected. Spike felt the skin on his legs blister and pop. The jeans were burning up. He hissed and powered up faster, Buffy meeting his speed and then bettering it. Since he was essentially blind Spike entrusted himself completely to the Slayer. Vines and leaves slapped at his torso. This must have been where Buffy got that cut on her cheek he had been concerned about but hadn't mentioned.

The heat was almost unbearable yet he could have only been out of the cave for less then ten seconds. He was gonna burn. Again. He began to yell.

Buffy shouted "Almost there!"

__

No, gonna burn! Burn! Burn! Was all he could think. Suddenly Buffy ground to a halt and he didn't expect it so he ran smack into something hard and metal. His gut ached and he let out a moan. There was a loud sound and Spike's skin was on fire.

He was shoved and fell into a confined space. The car's boot!

Buffy slammed the thing shut thus sealing him in blessed darkness.

"Let's go home," Buffy said but she sounded far away.

The smell of his own singed flesh entered Spike's nostrils.

"Oh," Spike rolled his eyes "This is just _charming_"

-------------------

"Okay, thank Fred" Willow nodded to herself as she spoke into the receiver "Yeah, yeah I think I got it. You're the best! No...no _you _are! Okay. Yeah. Bye!"

The witch turned and walked into the living room with a grin on her face, a slight bounce in her step. Andrew was still sweating away on the couch, Xander's eye on him, Giles glaring out of the window waiting for any sign that Buffy was going to return home. Dawn sat perched on the windowsill, picking her nails, a sign of nervousness. Whether it was for Buffy or Spike, or both of them Willow couldn't decide.

"So, from the flash of your pearly white I'd say that scientist girl had good news?" Xander turned to look at hi best friend.

"Have they managed to translate the word?" Giles questioned, sipping his luke-warm tea.

"No," Willow shook her head and everyone sighed wearily "But they managed to get a sample of water-feral poison from Wolfram and Hart's databases. Fred analysed it, for, you know, signs that could turn it back into a vamp potion and she struck gold!"

Dawn turned around abruptly "You mean Spike can be turned back?!"

"Yep, but that's not the only good news. See, she found something else too" Willow's grin widened.

"Don't keep us hanging, Will" Xander said.

She shook her head "I'll tell you later. When Buffy comes back. They're sending the samples now"

"Right now? How is that possi –" Giles started.

Suddenly a glimmer of purple light appeared in the centre of the room. Everyone stared at it in wonder. A blink of the eye and the light had turned into two vials filled with black viscous liquid. The vials floated for a moment in suspended animation and then fell without warning.

Everyone dived for them at once. Willow ended up tripping over the table and falling headfirst into Xander's now vacant chair. Giles slid on the rug and went down on his ass. Dawn propelled herself off the windowsill, sailing over the table outstretched like a panther. Unfortunately Xander had jumped from the opposite direction at the exact same time. Xander and Dawn went boom. Both fell to the floor, dazed.

Andrew reached out his arm and caught the vials in his hand.

Everyone looked at him wide-eyed from their positions in one big heap on the floor, all attempting to sit up. It looked like the Scoobs had been playing Twister and lost.

Andrew pulled a face "This stuff is kind of gross. Reminds me of the stuff Venom and Carnage are made out of in Spiderman"

The gang let out a sigh in unison and flopped back down onto the floor.

A/N: Ooo errrr! It's all getting rather exciting. Oh and for the American's amongst you a car "boot" is a "trunk". Since it was from Spike point of view I must be loyal. If you knew this already I apologise for being a smug Brit. Thanks to everyone for reviewing keep it up. Oh, and special thanks to fangfaceAndrea – I'm glad you found last chapter funny. 


	26. A Gruesome Twist

**A/N: Sorry about the lack of updates but school is ruling my life! (I weep). Read, my pretties, READ! -**

Buffy pulled up to Casa de Giles and almost immediately as the car came to a halt all of her friends came running out of the door. Buffy climbed out of the car and was greeted with hugs all around and questions on where she had been and had she ever heard of a little something called the phone.

Buffy smiled softly "Save the lectures for later. Help me get Spike inside – we need a blanket or something"

"Where is he?" Dawn ducked her head into the car.

"The trunk" Buffy jabbed her thumb towards the back of the car.

Xander let out a laugh of great mirth "Oh, that's great! No, really, can we get a camera too?"

"He's still showing signs of the water feral demon. I mean, he's not blue any more but sometimes he says some things that..." Buffy trailed off unsure how much to tell.

Giles stepped forward "What sorts of things?"

"Just...things. Things that let me know he's still not entirely Spike" Buffy folded her arms.

A loud banging came from the car "Oi! I would like to get out of here sometime today! It's suffocating in here!"

Dawn laughed "Spike, you don't need to breathe"

"Well, it's stuffy" Came the muffled reply.

Willow came back out of the house carrying a big, thick blanket and Buffy took it from her. She walked around to the trunk and popped it open throwing the blanket over Spike at once so that he wouldn't fry. The vampire clambered out completely invisible beneath the blanket. He started forward and before Buffy could stop him he had walked straight into a huge tree. Spike let out a grunt and fell to the ground.

Xander, Dawn and Willow tittered.

"Oh, shut it!" Spike groaned as he climbed up "A little help here!"

Buffy reached out and put her hands on either side of his waist, guiding him towards the direction of the house. Their feet crunched along the gravel and Buffy wondered how much she should tell her friends of what had happened the night before. She could tell they wanted to ask.

Details would not be a good thing.

Spike stepped through the threshold of Giles house and tossed the blanket immediately off. He was clutching his stomach.

"What the matter?" The Slayer came around to stand in front of him.

Spike shook his head, leaning one hand against the wall for support "It's...nothing. Just from walking into that bloody tree"

Buffy wasn't convinced. Something was up. Something bad.

The others came inside and they all went to settle in the living room after Giles drew the blinds to make it Spike-friendly. Spike stood leaning his back against the wall, an expression of forced calmness on his face. Buffy could tell he was in pain.

"We have good news, Buffy" Willow beamed "Fred sent us some antidote"

Buffy's eyes lit up "Antidote? See, Spike I told you –"

She was interrupted by the vampire letting out a terrible scream of pain. She turned to him, eyes-wide. He was reaching up and clasping his head between his hands just like he used to with the chip in his head. His eyes were screwed shut and there was a vein bulging in his forehead.

"Spike..." She took one step towards him.

Then she stopped.

He opened his eyes and they were completely blue. The water-feral demon. He opened his mouth wide and let out a loud, screeching sound. Spike dropped to his knees and arched his back. He was shirtless and his chest shimmered blue then back to pale white. His scream turned back to his normal voice and he slumped forward to the floor, kneeling.

The gang stood around in frozen states not sure what to do.

Buffy ran over to him; crouched next to him, put a hand on his back.

He lifted his head slowly; his eyes were still completely blue "Get away from me!" He yelled then shoved her backwards.

The Slayer was stunned for a moment as she landed flat on her back. A second passed and she started to crawl towards him again but Giles and Xander grabbed her under the arms and pulled her back.

"What are you doing?!" Buffy cried. "He's in pain!"

"I think it's best if you keep a safe distance," Giles said "All of you"

Spike fell forward again and his back began to rise and fall rapidly. He let out a sound of immense pain and his hands gripped at the carpet, his fingers ripping into it. A horrendous tearing sound echoed through the room.

Buffy frowned and it soon turned to an expression of horror. Spike arched up again and his skin was blue but that was not the worse of it. In the centre of Spike's torso could be seen the impression of hands trying to push their way out from behind his skin.

Dawn let out a scream and Willow grabbed at her, holding her close.

Buffy tried to shake Giles free but he held her tight.

"He wants you safe, Buffy" The Watched reminded her, whilst looking at Spike, jaw set.

Andrew had his back up against the furthest wall, a lamp held in front of him in his hands "Sweet Gandalf! It's the chest-burster from Alien!"

Spikes hands clasped and scraped at the carpet, running deep furrows into the material. His mouth opened wider then Buffy would have thought possible and then suddenly fingertips emerged from his lips and curled around his face. Buffy let out a scream herself at this new development.

Spike's screams were muffled by the thing crawling out of his face. The sound was terrible, suffocated agony and the fear and pain permeated the air.

Bones, or something, cracked and out emerged the blue head of the water-feral demon. Bufft felt her eyes bulge as she had clasped a hand to her mouth out of shock. The arms emerged next and then it dropped the floor and started to crawl it's way across the carpet, more of it's torso emerging from Spike's elongated mouth.

If she hadn't of seen it with her own eyes Buffy would not have thought it possible.

Someone was screaming high-pitched and ragged. It took the Slayer a moment to register that it was Andrew and not Dawn.

A hand slipped into hers and gripped her tightly. It was Willow, she too was holding onto Dawn until the three of them formed a line of traumatized girls.

Spike jerked backwards and slammed his back into the wall hard enough that plaster fell from the ceiling and landed on his shoulders like snowflakes. He bent forward again and made horrendous retching sounds. His fists beat against the floor and his leg kicked out reactively shattering the table to the side of him.

The vein in the centre of his forehead looked ready to burst and Spike's eyes bulged and glistened with tears.

Buffy wanted to go to him but Willow kept hold of her hand in a death-grip.

"Oh, man, oh, man, oh, man..." Xander kept repeating over and over, unable to look away and his face frozen in morbid horror.

The legs slid from Spike's mouth and finally the feet.

The vampire let out the must gut-wrenching, heart-pounding scream Buffy had ever heard and certainly did not want to hear again.

The water-feral demon fell to the floor and lay prone there. Its blue body was glistening, its white hair shining and almost otherworldly.

Spike pitched forward and fell flat on the floor. He didn't move.

Buffy tore her hand free from Willow's and ran to him, crouched down next to him and put a hand against his cold back.

"Spike?" She shook him.

....In her peripheral hearing Dawn sobbed and shuddered....

"Spike?" Buffy put her hand to his face.

...Gandalf, why? Why!...

The Slayer stroked his face, his sleek cheekbone "Spike...?"

...oh man, oh man, oh man, oh...oh man,...

**A/N: Review, 'tis all I ask. **


	27. Payback is a Bitca

**A/N: For my dear Spuffy supporters. Now, don't say I never give you anything...**

Buffy's first instinct was to press her fingers to Spike's throat to check for a pulse. Then she cursed her stupidity. Obviously he would not have a pulse because he was a vampire. She knew this stuff. The panic had made her logic fly out of the window. The Slayer started to shake him gently at first but then her desperateness made her shake him more violently.

"SPIKE!" She yelled.

Still there was no response. Buffy pulled back her fist and was about to take drastic measures when a hand curled around her wrist and stopped her. She turned back and found Giles standing there looking grave.

"That is perhaps not the best course of action, Buffy" He said, kneeling down next to her.

"I have to try something!" She said, desperation creeping into her voice.

"There are more pressing matters at hand"

Buffy was about to ask what the hell could be more pressing then Spike laying prone on the floor when she sensed movement behind her. The water-feral demon had risen up onto his blue, muscled, legs. Its body was sinewy, hard muscle compacted into a lithe figure. Strangely with the white hair and the body shape it looked like a blue version of Spike.

The Slayer stood and put herself between the demon and _her_ demon on the floor. She put her hand to her side and motioned for Giles to see that Spike did not get hurt. Willow and Dawn stood on the other side of the wall by the windows, Dawn was pressed into Willow in a suffocating hug as the witch tried not to show how shaken she too was.

Xander had slumped into a chair in confusion but now began to arise as he saw the demon stretching its body as if getting a feel for it. The water-feral looked down at its hands and then down the length of its body and it _grinned_. It grinned.

That one grin made Buffy snap.

This thing had taken over Spike, had hurt Spike and it had the audacity to be happy about it!

She balled her fist and then released her fingers before balling them again. Buffy moved her neck in a circle cracking the bones back into place. The sound drew the water-feral's attention to her and it blinked showing off those completely blue eyes. It tilted its head in a manner that reminded her far too much of the vampire on the floor.

"You shouldn't have taken him" Buffy said through gritted teeth, she felt her legs itching to move forward, to jump up and slam her foot into it's head, to feel it's neck crack underneath her power "He wasn't yours to take"

The demon tilted its head to the other side "Yours?" the voice came out sounding oddly serpent like.

"That's right"

"I left him. I could have stayed in there" The demon informed her.

"No," Buffy shook her head "We had a way of getting you out"

"Well," The demon stuck the tip of its tongue out, again way too Spike-like "Looks like I made the right decision then. If you let me pass I will not bother you again"

"So you can infect some other guy? Or prey on women to fulfill your need to mate? I don't think so"

"We mate only once. I don't need to any more" The water-feral hissed.

"Once? Well, when did you –" Xander started to ask.

The demon made a break for it rushing towards the door. Buffy lunged and caught it around the midriff, wrapping her arms around it's torso and using the force of the impact of her body to drive it, and her, to the floor.

Buffy fell on top of the slightly slick demon and let out a scowl of disgust. It reached up and sliced its claws down her cheek making the wounds flare up like a red hot flame. She winced and punched the thing in its face. She punched it again and again. Now, _this_ was letting out the anger. Everyone should try this for therapy.

The demon grabbed her wrist and managed to get its foot up to her abdomen where it promptly kicked her off.

The Slayer went flying across the room and hit the stone fireplace in the centre of her back. Pain hit her like a baseball bat hitting a ball. She let out a deep moan as she fell to the floor. If she had been human that would have broken her back. Now she was _really_ pissed.

Xander charged at the demon as it made a break for it again. The demon elbowed him in the face and then kicked him in the stomach. He careened backwards into Dawn and Willow who was attempting a spell. All three of them fell to the floor in a tangle of limbs.

Giles stood up and took the demon by surprise from behind, punching it in the kidneys...if the thing even _had _kidneys. It growled and turned around just in time to get a face full of Giles fist. The water-feral stumbled backward and Giles hit it again this time in the gut making it double over. The Watcher took the opportunity to knee it in the head, and it sprawled backwards again.

Giles tried for another hit but the thing was not as dazed as he first thought. It grabbed his fist in mid-air and held onto it whilst it backhanded him across the face. Then it let go of his fist, jumped up, and hit Rupert Giles in the head with a devastatingly hard roundhouse kick.

Giles went down and didn't get back up.

But Buffy did. She looked at her fallen friends and let out a cry of pure rage. She ran at the demon and blocked some pathetic attempts to catch her off guard again. She punched it so many times in the face that she lost count. The then delivered a vicious snap kick to its chin.

The demon stumbled backwards and hit a wall. Buffy grabbed it around the neck with one hand, throttling it. She lifted it off the floor and held it pinned to the wall like some pretty blue butterfly. It struggled and jerked around reminding her strangely of a scared rabbit. Not that she knew what a scared rabbit looked like. No, sir.

"So, you want to die quick....or slow?" Buffy gritted her teeth, squeezing her fingers deeper into its neck.

The demon choked and spluttered but still managed to grin, cocky "Lady's choice..."

And in that moment Buffy hesitated and released the pressure a little from it's neck. The last time she had heard that phrase it had come from Spike's lips but...had it really been Spike that had said it? Or had she been manipulated the whole time?

The demon took advantage of her faltering and slammed its arm into her head knocking her off balance and causing her to release him. It did not waste a second before kicking the Slayer with all it's force into the side of her head.

Buffy fell to the side on the floor. She tried to get up and managed to get to her knees but there were dots swimming before her vision.

"That's right," The water-feral slathered kicking her in the face, so she went down again "It was me"

Buffy blinked up from the floor and the bottom of a blue foot struck her in the face again, making her nose explode with pain.

"Not your vampire" It reached down, grabbed her by her shirt and lifted her up.

It swung her around so abruptly and fast Buffy thought she might throw up. Instead her legs hit Xander in the face when he had been coming to her aid. He fell back again and hit his head against the wall, sliding to the floor.

The demon tossed her away into the wall hard enough to crack the bricks.

"So, really," The demon grabbed up a heavy the heavy wooden weapons chest Giles had, and that thing weighed a _lot_ "You haven't seen the real vampire for...days"

Buffy blinked at it, lips trembling blood from her nose and various cuts running down her face. The demon was injured badly too, it was limping, it's face was swelling disgustingly. But it still looked at her impassively as it lifted the weapons chest above it's head.

Willow started to chant as she stood shakily. The demon shook it's head and lashed out at the witch with its foot catching her in the chin and making her cry out as she crumpled to the floor. Then it turned back to Buffy, grinned and threw the chest at her with incredible speed.

Buffy managed to curl into a ball and shield her face with her arms before the thing hit her.

It was like being hit by a car, or at least that's what it felt like. One corner of the chest struck her in the ribs and a shooting pain like an arrow sliced through her body. The chest was filled with axes and swords and other heavy things and it shattered against the Slayer's body. The weapons fell upon Buffy until she lay on the floor, covered by the contents of the chest.

Her body felt like everything was broken and she was finding it hard to breathe from the blow to the ribs. She groaned but couldn't move with the heavy tools on her. She reached up and pushed an axe off of her, taking steady, painful breaths.

The demon was looking at her. It had picked up a wicked looking axe.

"I liked you," It's eyes traveled down her body "You were good"

Somehow she didn't think he was talking about her moral standing. Also he was talking in past-tense – not a good sign.

The demon took a step back and then ran at her and whirled the axe in an arc which would land in the centre of her skull and most likely cleave it in to.

An arm shot out and the demon ran bodily into it. The air was knocked from it's lungs and it was knocked to the floor in a rather humorous manner...or it would have been funny if Buffy hadn't felt like she may be dying.

"I don't think so, mate" The voice that owned the arm said "I'm the only one that gets to stick something in her"

The pun was unbelievably crude but Buffy Summers really didn't care. Because it was Spike. And he was okay. She tried to get up and run to him but instead pain zigzagged through her and she let out a whimper.

Spike turned his eyes to her, they softened "You gonna be alright to help me finish this one, luv?" He clutched his own side, his voice raw.

But then her voice would probably be raw if a demon had just crawled out of her throat.

"You bet I am," She tried for a small smile and pulled it off successfully.

Spike gave her a crooked grin and held his hand out to her. She took it and carefully, with him half-pulling her, got to her feet. Her body screamed at her to curl up in a corner and die but she ignored it. Spike let go of her hand and picked up two axes, he handed one to Buffy and kept the other for himself.

The demon let out an odd gurgling sound and started to stir on the floor.

"Count of three?" Spike tilted his head, eyebrow arched.

"Think I can manage that" Her smile widened.

The demon craned it's head up and saw them, it's eyes widened "She...she'll never...never..."

"One" Spike said.

They started forward.

"She'll never love you!" The demon cried.

"Two" They advanced quickly.

The demon stuttered "I was in your head – you know, everyone does. She could never love –"

"Three!" Spike growled, morphing faces.

Buffy and Spike both brought their axes up and then sharply down.

A spray of blood leapt into the air.

The demon was silenced.

Buffy dropped the axe and put the back of her arm to her forehead "Why do they always have to try and announce a revelation?"

"Well, it's all about the showmanship, pet" He grinned then dropped his axe too and promptly started to fall.

Buffy caught him around the waist and let out a cry of pain at her own aching body. Spike steadied himself by putting an arm around her waist. They kept each other standing.

"Buffy..." Giles was starting to stand.

Xander and Willow and Dawn had each recovered enough to see the whole show too but they remained on the floor, exhausted and hurt.

"You okay?" Buffy whispered to him.

Spike gave a nod "You?"

"I'll live"

He chuckled "I won't"

She looked at him and shook her head, a smile on her face although it was a faint one.

"Fulfilled!" Andrew cried from behind the sofa.

Buffy frowned and everyone turned to the geek as he crawled out carefully into the open.

"Andrew, what are you talking about?" Giles sighed, wincing at some pain.

"That...that's the word. The missing word" Andrew stated "The missing piece of the puzzle. The icing on the cake. The cryptic clue"

Willow looked clueless as everyone else then her eyes brightened "Oh! The cure...the cure we don't need anymore" She picked up a piece of paper and read "To change a host back to what it once was, the curse...must be _fulfilled_. Once that is done all shall return to what it once was'"

Xander rubbed his head "Fulfilled? The curse was fulfilled? What?"

"To fulfill the curse means that the water-feral must have served it's intended purpose and that was to..." Giles stopped, and left the sentence hanging.

Willow picked it up "To mate"

There was a long moment of silence and everyone turned to stare at the Slayer and the vampire who stood with their arms around one another. Buffy felt the heat flare up in her cheeks and didn't dare steal a glance at Spike.

"Oh" Dawn said, getting it.

"Oh" Willow nodded, eye's wide.

Giles took of his glasses "Indeed, "oh"

Xander frowned "Oh, what?"

They all turned to look at him.

"What?" Xander just looked confused.

Dawn leaned into him and whispered into his ear.

His eyebrows shot up "_Ohhh_"

**A/N: So, there ya have it. Don't you just love me? I have knack of going from one bad/embarrassing situation to the next. It's hard to be this cruel to Spuffy, you know. Mwhahahaha!**


	28. He's Immortal, ya know

**A/N: The End is Nigh! This is the penultimate chapter. The next one will be the last!...probably. Just like SMG I never say never. Read on, gentle viewers....**

Spike felt Buffy's arm drop from around his waist and he instantly felt ten times worse. A demon had just crawled up through his body and out of his mouth and the thing that made him feel really bad? The Slayer's touch being withdrawn. She was obviously embarrassed by him, he turned and looked at her but she kept her face turned towards her friends, never once even glancing at him from the corner of her eye.

Buffy was covered in cuts and bruises and she held her arm around her ribs as if she was in a lot of pain. He wanted to reach over and comfort her but knew she did not want that. She was ashamed by what had happened last night.

Spike felt his shoulders sag. It's not like he should have expected anything different. Buffy was prone to breaking his heart. He should have known better than to hope for something more.

Giles was staring at him with a withering glare and the vampire felt like giving him the V sign. _Bloody judgmental bastard. _

Dawn and Willow were both looking at Buffy and the Slayer opened and closed her mouth like a ventriloquist dummy but not a word left her lips.

"Buffy," Dawn said softly "It's okay. It's not like you have to explain to us –"

"I'm..." The Slayer started, paused, "I'm hurt. I think...I think I need to have a shower"

Giles took a step towards her "Yes, of course. We should also tend to your wounds"

"Later. I just need to shower"

"Need any help?" Xander asked then blinked, stammered "Uh...not with the showering part! But with the walking up the stairs. Need someone to lean on?"

Buffy smiled a little "No, thanks. I'm gonna go to the guesthouse. I think Andrew needs the house bathroom more then me. He looks like he's about to pee his pants"

"Hey!" Andrew cried.

With that the Slayer turned and hobbled out of the room leaving Spike to stand in front of the Scoobies alone.

Dawn spoke first "Are _you _okay, Spike? I mean, there was that whole giving birth through your mouth thing..."

"Eww!" Xander gagged.

Spike was looking at the door Buffy had just vacated, he answered without his eyes straying "I'll be alright, little bit"

Willow stood shakily "Uh, Spike, there's something I need to talk to you about –"

"Later," Spike said as he grabbed the large blanket from the floor and walked out of the room and into the kitchen following the Slayer.

The sun was still shining brightly outside so Spike through the blanket over him and though he was in no physical state to run he did so because he had to find Buffy. He ran out of the back door and over the gravel towards the guesthouse. The bright sunlight was so warm through the blanket and the vampire was already feeling queasy enough. When he made it to the door he fell though onto the floor of the living room coughing deeply. Smoke wafted off his body and the room filled with the scent of singed flesh.

If Buffy heard his entrance she did not come down to greet him. Spike could hear her moving about upstairs, drawers being open and closed, feet stamping along the floorboards. Sometimes Buffy could be elegant and dainty but sometimes she could sound like an elephant on speed.

He loved both sides of her.

Spike picked himself off the floor and walked slowly and carefully up the stairs. He knocked on the door to Buffy's bedroom. Getting no response he shrugged and entered anyway. The bedroom was empty. Discarded clothes lay on the floor; crinkled and bloody from her injuries. The scent of Slayer blood was intoxicating but Spike paid it no mind.

He could hear the shower running in the en suite bathroom. Spike walked to the door and leant his forehead against the polished wood.

"Buffy" He spoke softly.

There was no answer.

"Buffy" Spike said a little louder, standing up straight again, worried.

Still no answer.

Right then. He was going in. Spike tried the door but it was locked. He took a few steps back and then ran at it full speed. The door splintered and flung open. He wasn't entirely sure what he had expected to see but Buffy standing in front of the shower door, a towel wrapped around her collarbone with her back to him wasn't it. He had expected to find her passed out, or in some sort of emotional distress. She hadn't even flinched when the door had burst open.

"Buffy?" Spike took a cautious step towards her.

Her shoulders tensed.

"Are you alright? Should I get Giles or –"

"No" She said voice just above a whisper "I'm fine"

Spike took another step towards her "You don't seem fine"

She sighed "Maybe fine isn't the right word"

He carefully laid a hand on her shoulder; she shivered "I understand"

"What? What do you understand?" She glanced at him over her shoulder before turning back.

"You're embarrassed about what happened between us," Spike closed his eyes, a sharp stabbing pain in his heart "About it being me"

"No" Buffy said clearly, turning around to face him, "It's because it wasn't you"

Spike opened his eyes; saw that the Slayer had been crying "What?"

"That demon...it told me. It said that it wasn't you last night," She took a deep, shuddering breath and stepped out of the reach of his hand "That I was stupid enough to believe that it would let you be in control. But it wasn't you, was it? It was the demon. It was the demon when I...when we..."

"No!" Spike said forcefully making Buffy jump a little, he laid both hands on her shoulders "I don't care what this sodding demon told you. It _was_ me that night. And it was me the morning after. I don't know why I was able to get control but I did. Yeah, the demon was there but only in the back of my mind. Nothing could have taken my attention away from you"

Buffy tilted her head "Don't lie to make me feel better"

"I'm not!" Spike shook her again "You know better than to think I would lie to make _anyone_ feel better. I'm an insensitive bastard" He gave her a grin.

Buffy smiled a little unable to help herself "Then why did it say –"

"Because it wanted to hurt you. It saw it was gonna die and it thought 'right then, I'll take her down with me'" He caught her chin between his thumb and forefinger "'Cos that's what demons do. You know this, Slayer"

She nodded slowly "I know. I know I do. But...when it comes to this...to us...I'm kind of..."

"Blind as a bat?" Spike offered, eyebrow arched.

Buffy glared "..._vulnerable_"

"Ah, right," He nodded sagely "Well, me too"

She smiled "Yeah, I know. I shouldn't have left you in there. I'm sorry"

"S'alright I'm used to being under group scrutiny. Does the soul good," He smiled back "Just so long as we got this sorted?"

"Check. Vulnerable Buffy deleted" She nodded then turned her back on him "And now I must shower!"

Spike pressed himself against her from behind "Want some company?" He leaned down and kissed her bare shoulder.

"Let me think about that..." Buffy turned back, grinned and pulled him into the shower with her fully clothed.

Not that he minded.

---------------------------------------

About an hour or so later when both Buffy and Spike's skin had started to go all prune-y they had left the shower for the dryness of the bedroom. Buffy was pacing the room in a blue plaid robe that might have at one time belonged to Giles, she was jabbering on about taking Spike to London and that she expected him to show her all his old haunts.

Spike lay on the bed in a pair of old pajama bottoms that had also probably belonged to Giles. He never took his eyes off of Buffy, his arm tucked under his head to keep him half-propped up.

"Oh! We should go to Madame Tussauds! They have some cool wax models there. But, then again, knowing my luck they would all come alive and try and eat my arm or something..." Buffy was still yammering.

He loved her for it.

There was a knock at the door.

Buffy glanced at Spike and raised her eyebrows before calling "Come in"

The door opened slowly and Willow stepped in looking mighty embarrassed to be there. She first noticed Buffy then her gaze fell on Spike in the bed and she quickly looked away back to the Slayer.

"Willow, hey" Buffy walked over and sat on the side of the bed.

"Hey. Are you two healing any better?"

"Yup. Perks of Slayerdom" Buffy looked at Spike "And Vampiredom"

Willow smiled, pushed her hair back behind her ears "Uh, the reason I came over was...I've got something to tell you both"

"You're not really gay?" Spike offered.

Willow scowled "No. And be nice, Mister! This benefits you"

Spike put his hands up "Sorry. Do tell, Red"

"Okay" She nodded and began to pace the room much like Buffy had been doing earlier "So, I called Fred to get a cure for you – oh and Spike, she says to call her – "

"Will do" He nodded.

"Right, anyway. So she zapped us over a couple of vials of antidote. One was to turn you back into a vampire" Willow paused.

Buffy reached over and took Spike's hand "Willow, the suspense is killing us"

"Not me" Spike said,

"Not Spike" Buffy nodded.

"I'm immortal" He informed the witch.

Willow glared "Guys!"

"Sorry" They both chorused.

"Right," She took a deep breath "And the other vial it was to turn you...human"

Buffy's hand started to squeeze his painfully.

Spike gulped "Human?"

**A/N: Gasp! Shudder! You all totally saw that coming, right? Sometimes I'm SO predictable. As always I beg for your wonderful reviews. You'd make a young girl very happy. **


	29. Epilogue: The Right Choice

**A/N: This is the LAST CHAPTER! I'm actually kind of sad about that. While I was writing it I was like "when will it END?!" Now it has I feel empty and alone. Or not. But it is kinda sad. Read on, faithful readers - **

Spike looked at the redhead in front of him and his brain was telling him this was all too much. Too many shocks in such a short space of time. He ripped his hand away from Buffy's death grip and stood abruptly startling Willow.

The vampire looked at her then back to Buffy who had an openly hopeful look on her face. Too much. Too...too much. He turned and stormed to the bathroom slamming the door shut and leaning against it. He really wished he hadn't broken the lock on the door earlier.

Spike slid down to the floor and sat with his back pressed against the door to shut out anyone from coming in. Not that it would stop the Slayer if she _really_ wanted to get in there.

He rested his forehead against his knees and wrapped his arms around his legs. Human. From what he recalled of being a human he had not liked it one bit. Susceptible to illness, frail and breakable, so few years to experience life and then of course there was death. While it was true that Spike had faced death in a way when he had become vampire, and again when he had disintegrated, he had never truly given much thought to actually dying and staying dead. It scared him. The thought of hell terrified him. That was surely where he would go; hell.

Eternal torment. Fire and Brimstone. No, no. That was not for him. Spike wanted to stay immortal, exist forever, see the world change and eventually, when it was inevitable, see the world _end._

He couldn't be doing with this 50 years left bull. 50 years? That was nothing to a vampire who had lived almost two centuries.

Humans were weak. He remembered being weak. Being William. He hadn't liked it back then and he sure as hell wouldn't like it now.

"No" He whispered to himself.

There was a knock at the door "Spike?" It was Buffy, she sounded concerned.

Buffy Summers. One of those frail and breakable humans. Okay, maybe not so frail and breakable but still with the short life span. Potentially shorter then most in fact. She was the love of his life. And one day Death would come along and take her from him. Leaving him alone. So much for immortality if you had to be a miserable loner bastard for the rest of your days.

"Spike, talk to me. I know this is a lot but –" Buffy spoke softly through the door.

"It's not a lot!" Spike yelled, standing up and tearing the door open, which in turn caused Buffy to take an instinctive jump back "'Cos I'm not doing it"

Her eyes softened "Don't you think we should talk about this?"

"No!" He roared "I don't want to be human!"

Buffy just blinked, face remaining calm "Why not?"

"Because...being human means being mortal"

"Pretty much the whole concept, yeah" She reached over and took his hands "But have you even considered the good things?"

Spike looked at her, at her hands in his, her skin was so warm against his ice cold flesh. If he was human he would be warm again. He wouldn't have to steal her heat.

Buffy squeezed his hands "You could go out in the day. Into the sunlight"

Spike just looked her in the eyes. He had thought about this, of course. Even before it became a plausible option. When he had gotten his soul back he remembered more of what it had been like to be human. To walk into the bright light and like it and to have the light love him back. Spike had always tried to block out such memories. There was no good in torturing yourself with things you couldn't have.

But he could have it now.

Spike shook his head. He didn't want it.

"You could have kids" Buffy said softly "I mean, so long as your little guys are alright down there"

He looked down at the floor "A bloke like me doesn't deserve kids. That's why vampires can't have kids. It's not right"

The Slayer tilted her head, moved her hand up to place it on his chest "Your heart would beat. You wouldn't need to drink blood anymore. You could have food and actually taste it. Ooh, beer!"

Spike couldn't stop himself smiling "Beer would be good. To actually taste it"

"See" Buffy smiled "All good things. Give me twenty minutes and I'll write you a whole list of –"

"I don't want to go to hell" Spike said, the smile gone from his face.

Buffy's smile also dropped and was replaced by one of confusion. She frowned and her brow crinkled. It almost made Spike's heart beat right then. She was beautiful when perturbed. But he had more important things on his mind.

"What do you mean?" She asked.

"I told you. When I died...I could feel myself being pulled into hell" He turned his back on her "And if I go back to being human I'll only have fifty years or less. Fifty years is not enough time to atone for what I've done. And I don't want to go to hell"

"Spike," She said softly "You won't go to hell. You saved the world; I think that's got you a few points up"

"How many times has Angel saved the world? And he's still not done"

"Angel was evil long before you were even born...I guess he has more to make up for" Buffy came up behind him and wrap her arms around his waist "You won't go to hell"

He tensed "How can you know that? You don't understand. You're a force of good. You always have been and you already know that you're going to heaven when you die. You – heaven. Me – hell. That's how it works. Even if I can't atone I want to delay it as long as bloody possible"

Buffy spoke against his back "You're scared. I get that"

"I don't think you can" He moved away from her arms and turned back to face her "You're a champion"

"So are you"

"No," Spike shook his head "I'm just a vampire who fell in love with a Slayer. If I hadn't...I never would have tried to be good. I liked being bad"

"It doesn't matter what got you to this stage, Spike" Buffy cupped his face in her hands "It only matters that you got here and that you're good now"

Spike looked down "Either way, I'm not ready to be human"

Buffy grabbed his hand and pulled him over to the bed sitting them both down "Let's talk about this. We'll make the right choice"

"How do you know?"

"Because I'm always right" She grinned "And because together we're pretty much unbeatable"

Spike smiled.

-------------------------------------

As Buffy entered Giles house alone she sucked in a deep breath and steeled herself for the conversation that was about to happen. She set her shoulders and shook her hair out of her face then turned and walked confidently into the living room attempting to make an assertive and not at all nervous entrance.

It turned out that no-one even paid attention to her. So much so that she had to clear her throat loudly, twice!

Eventually she got their attention. Dawn was sitting on the couch and Xander was lying across it with his legs propped up on Dawn's lap, they were watching TV. Willow sat in an armchair reading a book and sipping tea, Giles stood by the window looking out of it as the sun-set outside.

They all turned to look at her and Willow frowned a little bit.

"You okay? I mean I know I left in a hurry but you've been in the cottage for hours" Willow said sitting up straighter.

Buffy nodded, tried for a bright smile "Yeah, I'm good. Spike and I were doing some stuff"

"Eww" Dawn's nose wrinkled.

"Yeah, Buff. For future reference that kind of statement is too much information" Xander nodded.

Buffy shook her head and sighed "Not _that_ stuff. Well, okay there was some of that stuff –"

"Buffy!" Dawn cried "Little sister here – trying not to find out about her sisters freaky sex life"

"It was not freaky...well, maybe a little bit"

"Oh, honestly" Giles rolled his eyes "Please, for the sake of all that is holy, stop!"

The Slayer felt the heat burn up in her cheeks. Check – no more sex talk around the Watcher, little sister of Xander. Willow for her part was giving her up a thumbs up. At least she seemed supportive of Spike and Buffy's relationship. Buffy was pretty sure it was a relationship. Which was actually kinda scary. However, she needed to know how the others felt about it.

"Okay – no more sex talk. But I need to know how you guys feel about this?" Buffy shifted her weight from foot to foot, started wringing her hands "About me and Spike. Together. As in a couple. A relationship. Him as my –"

"We know, Buffy" Dawn rolled her eyes "And I'm okay with it. It's your life, right? You deserve someone who loves you. Spike's done some bad things to you...but if you can see past that then I guess I can"

Buffy bowed her head "Thank you"

Willow spoke next "You know I'm okay with it. I never really had anything against Spike...apart from that time he kidnapped me...and when he tried to kill me...and...okay, not thinking about that anymore. Go, be free! Frolic!" She grinned

"Thanks, Will" Buffy looked at the man on the couch "Xander?"

"You know I'm not Spike's greatest fan" He sat up straight "And, well, that doesn't matter 'cos I'm not dating him. I mean, how very _wrong_ would that be? Anyway, if the guy makes you happy then he makes you happy. Even if I don't understand it. Life's too short. You gotta find the right person and just never let them go. I learnt that from Anya"

Buffy walked over to him and kissed him on the crown of his head "Love you, Xan"

"Right back at ya" He smiled lopsidedly and squeezed her hand "Besides, he's better than Angel....not by much but..."

Buffy slugged him lightly on the arm.

"I think the question is, Buffy, do you love Spike?" Giles spoke up.

Buffy braced herself before turning to face him. She had known that Giles would be the hardest to convince. At one time she would have said Xander would have been her harshest critic but so much had happened to him, to all of them, that everyone had changed.

The Slayer stood up straight and walked slowly over to her Watcher, hands clasped before her and taking a deep, even breath.

"Do I love Spike?" Buffy said aloud to herself, pausing "I guess it depends. If you mean the kind of romanticized, till-all-time, fairytale love...then no. If you mean the real kind – messy, complicated, fighting but still desperate to be around him? Then, yeah, I guess I do"

Giles looked at her with soft, sad eyes; he let out a breath "Buffy..." He reached out and took her hands gently "I'm glad for you"

She smiled a little "But you still don't approve?"

"Give me time," He said.

"You might grow to like Spike"

"That'll be the bloody day" Giles and Spike said simultaneously.

Buffy spun around and saw Spike leaning against the doorframe, he was smiling and she felt a fluttering in her stomach. But a question had to be answered.

"Just how much of that did you hear?" Buffy asked, hands on hips.

Spike made a cross-over-heart gesture "None of it, I swear" He was grinning.

"Liar" She rolled her eyes.

Buffy couldn't stop herself smiling anyway and she walked over to the vampire and stood by his side. She felt his arm go cautiously around her waist. Buffy leaned closer in to him. He exhaled a needless breath.

"So," Willow shifted "Did you guys talk about _it_?"

Buffy looked at Spike and they nodded.

She looked back at Willow "Yeah, we talked about it"

"About what?" Xander asked, interested.

Buffy ignored him "We decided no"

"Oh" Willow looked very confused.

"It's just he isn't ready for it. We aren't ready for it" Buffy explained.

Spike nodded "Yeah, but keep it on layaway for me, yeah Red?"

Willow smiled "I can do that"

"What are you talking about?" Giles frowned.

Spike smiled "Just an idea Red put across to me. But I realized after a few home truths that I wasn't prepared for it"

"Not yet" Buffy reminded him.

"Right, not yet" He nodded.

Xander's eyebrows rose "Huh?!"

"So, you're kind of dressed up" Willow decided to change the subject.

Buffy looked down at herself. She was in a knee-length black gauze skirt with black flowers embroidered on it; the slip beneath it stopped it from being indecent. On top she wore a dark blue halter-neck top and there was a simple necklace with a royal blue feather as a pendant hanging around her throat.

"Oh, yeah, right" Buffy smiled, stood up straight "Spike and I are going out"

"On an actual date?" Dawn looked surprised.

"I'm taking him to London;" Buffy grabbed his hand "We're going right now. And he's gonna tell me some of his stories from Ye Olde England"

As she started to pull him out of the door Spike said "Oh, yeah? You should hear about the time I met Her Majesty"

"The Queen?! No way!"

"Yeah," Spike's voice floated out to them even as the couple had left "See, old Lizzy was having some car trouble so, I being the gentleman that I am, offered to give her a piggy-back to escort her back to the Palace..."

"SPIKE!" Buffy yelled.

"Ow!" There was a chuckle "No need to get jealous. You can have a ride on Spike too..."

The Scoobies all turned and looked at each other. Giles summed it up.

"I'm going to pretend I didn't hear that"

**The End.**

**A/N: wipes tear from eye Aw! For the last time – review, please! An overall review of the whole story would be nice – what you liked, what you didn't like, favourite moments, etc. Thank you all. Goodnight.**


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